Belind Këlliçi

Belind Këlliçi
Political Leader of the Democratic Party for Tirana County
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 September 2024
Member of Parliament
In office
10 September 2021 – 24 March 2023
1st Secretary for Immigration and Diaspora of the Democratic Party
In office
30 August 2021 – 11 December 2021
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byIndrit Hoxha
Chairman of the Youth of Democratic Party
In office
7 December 2015 – 1 October 2022
Preceded byGerti Bogdani
Succeeded byBesart Xhaferri
Personal details
Born (1987-01-25) 25 January 1987 (age 38)
Tirana, Albania
Political partyDemocratic Party of Albania
RelativesMasar Këlliçi (member of the First Albanian Parliament) and Mytesim Këlliçi (senator of the First Albanian Parliament).
Alma materCoppin State University
Signature
Websitebelindkellici.al

Belind Këlliçi (born 25 January 1987) is an Albanian politician and a Member of Parliament-elect for Tirana County[1]. First elected to parliament in the 2021 general elections, he was re-elected in 2025. For the 2025 campaign, the Democratic Party appointed him as its Political Leader for the Tirana County[2]. In 2023, Këlliçi was the official candidate of the Democratic Party for Mayor of Tirana after winning the party's first-ever primary elections[3].

Këlliçi comes from a well-known traditional Tirana family with a strong political legacy, as he is the grandson of Masar Këlliçi, who represented Tirana and Durrës in the first Albanian Parliament in 1921.[4] He was elected member of the Executive Board of the Democratic Party having most of the votes than any other candidate.[5]

Early life and education

[edit]

Belind Këlliçi was born in Tirana on 25 January 1987. He began his political career in 2009, after graduating with highest honors from Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, with a degree in Management Science and Economics. He was named "Student with the highest GPA at graduation" and inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta International Honors Society in Business in 2008.[6]

Këlliçi was national tennis champion (under 18) in 2004 and played for Coppin State University’s tennis team from 2005 to 2009 in the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). In 2007, he was named "Scholar Athlete of the Year" by his university and the MEAC.

Political career

[edit]

In 2009, Këlliçi returned to Albania, joined the Democratic Party, and participated in its 2009 general election campaign. From 2009 to 2011, he worked at the National Agency of Tourism under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. During this period, he engaged in various training activities through the Democratic Party Youth Forum (FRPD) and represented Albanian youth internationally.

In the 2011 local elections, Këlliçi joined the campaign of DP candidate Lulzim Basha, who became the Mayor of Tirana. From 2011 to 2015, he worked in the Municipality of Tirana as Head of the City Events Department at the General Directorate of Art & Culture.

In 2014, DP Chairman Lulzim Basha appointed Këlliçi and 21 others as National Coordinators. From 2014 to 2015, he was elected by the DP National Council to head the Department for Former Persecuted People and Land Owners, becoming a member of the party's executive board.

In November 2015, he resigned from his DP positions to run for chairman of the Forumi Rinor i Partisë Demokratike (Democratic Party Youth Forum) (FRPD). On 6 December 2015, he was elected in a "one member, one vote" race that featured 20 debates in 20 cities and over 11,000 participating members.

Youth of the Democratic Party

[edit]

After his election in 2015,[7] Këlliçi overhauled FRPD structures, organizing internal elections for all 55 branches and forming new national governing bodies.

During Këlliçi’s leadership, FRPD organized multiple protests against Edi Rama's government, including demonstrations over the killing of Klodian Rasha and government expenditures.[8][9][10]

On 17 July 2021, at the DP National Convention, Këlliçi announced it would be his final speech as FRPD chairman.[11]

In November 2021, Lulzim Basha announced new FRPD elections,[12] which angered members who supported Sali Berisha. FRPD members opposed Basha’s order and delayed elections until October 2022.[13][14] Këlliçi left the chairmanship on 4 October 2022 after Besart Xhaferri was elected.[15]

Belind Këlliçi holding a press conference

2021 parliamentary elections

[edit]

In February 2021, DP leader Lulzim Basha appointed Këlliçi as political leader for parts of Tirana County.[16] In March, he was listed 10th in DP's Tirana County list.[17]

During the campaign, he was fined ALL 5 million for violating COVID-19 rules[18] but the fine was later overturned by the Administrative Court.[19]

In the 25 April elections, he was elected MP with 11,601 votes,[20] ranking third in Tirana for the Democratic Party and 12th nationwide. He was elected 100 years after his great-grandfather entered Parliament.

Member of Parliament

[edit]

Këlliçi took office on 10 September 2021. He was appointed to the temporary Commission verifying parliamentary mandates.[21]

He served on the inquiry committee on incinerators and gained attention after a lengthy debate with Prime Minister Edi Rama.[22][23]

Steering Interim Commission of the Democratic Party

[edit]

On 11 December 2021, the DP National Assembly, led by delegates, removed Lulzim Basha as chairman.[24] Këlliçi led the assembly and was appointed to the party's Steering Interim Commission.[25]

On 30 April 2022, he again led the National Assembly.[26] After the commission's term ended, he was the top vote-getter in elections to the party's Executive Board.[27]

Meeting with Donald Trump

[edit]

In October 2024, Këlliçi met with President Donald Trump[28] during a campaign event in Saginaw, Michigan. The meeting, and a photograph Këlliçi posted from it, generated considerable controversy in Albania. Këlliçi stated the meeting was at no cost, though this was publicly questioned by political activists and led to him being questioned by Albania's Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) regarding the financing of the trip[29]. As of now, there is no actual proof that Belind Këlliçi used money to settle this meeting. The meeting was criticized by the ruling Socialist Party and government-controlled media. Këlliçi remains the only known member of the Albanian parliamentary opposition to have met with Donald Trump.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ nc, fra (2025-05-15). "Konfigurimi i parlamentit të ri, kush janë deputetët". Euronews Albania. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  2. ^ "Cilët janë 12 drejtuesit politikë të PD, zbardhen emrat në mbledhjen e Kryesisë". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  3. ^ "Belind Këlliçi kandidat i PD për Bashkinë e Tiranës, tërhiqet Alimehmeti: Ndjekim modelin amerikan, do jetë nën-kryetar". Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  4. ^ "Belind Këlliçi, deputet i Tiranës 100 vjet pas stërgjyshit". 3 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Zgjidhen anëtarët e Kryesisë së PD-së, Belind Këlliçi më i votuari, rikthehet Topalli, fiton edhe Ina Zhupa - Report-tv.al". www.report-tv.al. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  6. ^ "Belind Këlliçi në një rrëfim ndryshe, tregon anën e tij të panjohur". Abc News (in Albanian). 2021-03-27. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  7. ^ "Belind Këlliçi zgjidhet kryetar i FRPD: Qeveria po vret shpresën e shqiptarëve, do ndryshojmë realitetin". sot.com.al. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  8. ^ "Të rinjtë e FRPD-së protestë për vrasjen e Klodian Rashës: Lleshaj të japë dorëheqjen". Euronews Albania. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  9. ^ "Darka luksoze në Dubai, të rinjtë e FRPD protestë në shkallët e kryeministrisë". Gazeta Si (in Albanian). 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  10. ^ "Të rinjtë e LRI dhe FRPD protestë para Kuvendit". 360Grade (in Albanian). Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  11. ^ "Fjala e mbajtur në Kuvendin Kombëtar të PD – Belind Këlliçi". Archived from the original on 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  12. ^ "Shpalli zgjedhjet në FRPD, Basha thërret në takim grupin e punës" (in Albanian). Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  13. ^ "FRPD i përgjigjet Bashës: 75% e të rinjve mendojnë se po e bën për hakmarrje politike - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  14. ^ "FRPD hap garën për zgjedhjet e lidershipit të ri, ja deri kur është afati për të dorëzuar kandidaturën". www.balkanweb.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  15. ^ "Besart Xhaferri zgjidhet kreu i ri i FRPD-së". www.euronews.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  16. ^ "Zbulohen drejtuesit politikë të PD-së në Tiranë, mes tyre Duma, Noka e Bumçi". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  17. ^ "Lista e PD/ Zbulohen emrat e kandidatëve për deputetë të PD-së në 12 qarqet e vendit". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  18. ^ "Gjobitet Belind Këlliçi: Keni edhe 66 ditë kohë për të vendosur gjoba". 18 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21.
  19. ^ "Gjykata shfuqizon gjobën ndaj Belind Këlliçit". Exit | Shpjegon Shqipërinë (in Albanian). 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  20. ^ "Vota preferenciale, 10 kandidatët më të votuar të PD deri tani në Tiranë". Euronews Albania. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  21. ^ "Seanca - Ngrihet Komisioni i Verifikimit të Mandateve, ja emrat e deputetëve". 10 September 2021.
  22. ^ "Rama: I do not know Zoto, Mërtir and Gugalljan. How does Këlliçi react when he takes the video from the ceremony next to them". politiko.al. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  23. ^ "Këlliçi: Thoni se nuk e njihni, por kompania ka firmën tuaj! Rama: Unë nuk merrem me detaje juridike". Gazeta Express (in Albanian). 2022-02-23. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  24. ^ "Ngrihet Komisioni Provizor/ Belind Këlliçi drejton Kuvendin e demokratëve të Berishës". Shekulli. 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  25. ^ "Kush janë 29 anëtarët, ngrihet komisioni për rithemelimin e PD, vendimet e Kuvendit do të regjistrohen në gjykatë". Gazeta Si (in Albanian). 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  26. ^ "VIDEO - Këlliçi: Kuvendi i PD-së fuqizoi anëtarët, dihet kujt i prishet terezia". Syri | Lajmi i fundit (in Albanian). 2022-05-03. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  27. ^ "Kryesia e PD-së/ Këlliçi më i votuari, cilët janë emrat që mbetën jashtë". sot.com.al. Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  28. ^ "Belind Këlliçi takon Donald Trump: Gjeti kohë për të dëgjuar rreth shqiptarëve, fotoja kushtoi zero lek". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  29. ^ Elena (2024-12-26). "Belind Këlliçi del nga SPAK: Jam pyetur për gjithçka, edhe për foton me Donald Trump". Ditar.al. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
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