Albania's Centennial Brings Joy to Jailbirds

A new bill presented on Wednesday to mark Albania’s 100 years of independence will grant an amnesty to prisoners serving sentences of less than two years. 

Besar Likmeta

BIRN

Tirana

Prison cell

The bill, which is expected to be voted on soon in parliament, will release all prisoners serving less than two years in jail.
Persons under investigation for non-grave crimes that have a maximum sentence of two years can also expect a pardon.
Under the amnesty law, fines issued by courts will be forgiven, on condition that the defendants were not convicted of serious crimes.
Offenders who at the time that they committed the crime were 18 years or younger will also benefit from the amnesty, apart from those serving a sentence for murder or rape.
This year Albania marks the 100th anniversary of its declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire, on November 28, 1912, and as an important birthday the government has promised to celebrate it with gusto.

A series of events are under discussion, ranging from the construction of monuments to Albania’s founding fathers to concerts by local pop idols.