Monika Kryemadhi

Monika Kryemadhi
Kryemadhi in 2017
Member of the Albanian Parliament
In office
10 September 2021 – 8 July 2025
ConstituencyFier
First Lady of Albania
In office
24 July 2017 – 24 July 2022
PresidentIlir Meta
Preceded byOdeta Nishani
Succeeded byArmanda Begaj
Chairwoman of the Socialist Movement for Integration
In office
5 July 2017 – 25 July 2022
Preceded byPetrit Vasili
Succeeded byIlir Meta
Personal details
Born (1974-04-09) 9 April 1974
Tirana,[1] Albania
PartyPL (2005–present)
Other political
affiliations
Socialist Party (1991–2005)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1998; div. 2024)​
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Tirana
Signature

Monika Kryemadhi (born 9 April 1974)[2] is an Albanian former member of parliament, and a politician who served as leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) party.[3] She is the ex-wife of Ilir Meta, LSI's founder and former President of Albania. As of May 2025, she has been under investigation by SPAK for corruption, money laundering and non declaration of assets.[4] In March 2026, the criminal case was referred to trial.[5]

Life and education

She was born on April 9, 1974.[2]

In 1992, she won the right to study in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and graduated with a diploma in Bio-Chemistry.[6]

In 2000–2002 carried out studies in the Master of Business Administration at the University of Tirana.

She was married to Ilir Meta in 1998 and has three children with him.[7] On 21 June 2024 Ilir Meta and Monika Kryemadhi divorced.[7]

Political career

1991–2017

Her political engagement began in 1991 when she was one of the founders of FRESSH.[8] In January 1992 she was elected a member of the presidency and in May of the same year, she was elected general secretary of FRESSH's congress I and II.[6] She served as President of FRESSH until April 2002. From 1995 to 2000 she was elected vice president of the Socialist International Youth IUSY.

Monika was a member of the Socialist Party from December 1991 to September 2004. She was also a member of the Parliament of Albania from 2001 to 2005, and also was selected two times to the Tirana Municipal Council for which she was elected secretary of the local government delegation to the Council of Europe.

In September 2004, she was one of the founders of the Socialist Movement for Integration.[6]

2017–2025

On 5 July 2017, Kryemadhi became the leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration.

During the presidency of Ilir Meta (2015-2022), although she was his spouse at the time, she refused to take the honorific position of First Lady of Albania, conceding the post to their oldest daughter Bora.[9]

Kryemadhi served in the Parliament of Albania as a member for Fier from 2021 to 2025.[10]

Plagiarism controversy

In October 2018, a public debate over plagiarism occurred in Albania involving the Masters and Ph.D. theses of many politicians and public figures. The denouncement of cases of plagiarism started by Taulant Muka, a young epidemiologist educated in the Netherlands, who waged a crusade against the "fake" PhDs held by many politicians and government functionaries.[11] The thesis of Kryemadhi was one of the many accused of being a case of plagiarism.[11][12][13]

SPAK investigation

In October 2024, Albania’s Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) launched an investigation into Monika Kryemadhi in connection to corruption, money laundering and non declaration of assets, within a case that also involved Ilir Meta, her ex-husband.[14][15] Kryemadhi was subjected to precautionary measures. In May 2025, SPAK formally charged both Kryemadhi and Meta with corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets.[4] In March 2026, the criminal case against Kryemadhi was referred to trial after the Special Court accepted the prosecution’s case.[5]

Television career

She sang a duet with Majlinda Bregu on Kënga Magjike 07 where she was on the jury.

Kryemadhi is one of two commentators for the reality show Big Brother VIP Albania, on its fifth season.[16][17] Her appearance on the show has drawn some criticism towards her using media visibility to deflect from ongoing legal proceedings. Fjori Sinoruka of Balkan Insight draws parallels between her move and a broader pattern of reputation laundering among Balkan politicians.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Kuvendi i Shqipërisë" (PDF). www.parlament.al. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 ""I am Monika Kryemadhi", the leader of the LSI in Durrës is fined". Reporteri.net. 5 November 2020. "Vendose gjobën. Unë jam Monika Kryemadhi, vajza e Ramazan Kryemadhit. Lindur më 9 prill 1974", dëgjohet kryetarja e LSI.
  3. ↑ "Kreu". Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Ilir Meta dhe Monika Kryemadhi merren të pandehur". Reporter.al (in Albanian). 27 May 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026. ...SPAK ka marrë të pandehur për korrupsion, pastrim parash dhe fshehje pasurie ish-presidentin dhe kryetarin e Partisë së Lirisë, Ilir Meta, si dhe ish-bashkëshorten e tij, Monika Kryemadhi. SPAK i bëri me dije BIRN mbrëmjen e të martës se "ka marrë zyrtarisht të pandehur shtetasit Ilir Meta dhe Monika Kryemadhi dhe u ka komunikuar atyre akuzat".
  5. 1 2 "Çështja penale ndaj Metës dhe Kryemadhit kalon për gjykim". Reporter.al (in Albanian). 18 March 2026. Archived from the original on 19 March 2026. Retrieved 18 April 2026. Gjykata e Posaçme e Shkallës së Parë vendosi të mërkurën më 18 mars kalimin për gjykimin në themel të çështjes penale në ngarkim të ish-presidentit Ilir Meta dhe ish-bashkëshortes së tij, Monika Kryemadhi për akuzat e korrupsionit, pastrimit të parave dhe fshehjes së pasurisë.
  6. 1 2 3 "Tempora - Profil i Monika Kryemadhit, kryetares së LSI-së". Ora News. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Albania's Power Couple, Meta and Kryemadhi, Get Divorced". Balkan Insight. 22 June 2024. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Monika Kryemadhi: FRESSH 92-2003, Partia tjetër Socialistestudimepolitike.com". Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Monika Kryemadhi: Nuk do të jem Zonjë e Parë, por deputete e LSI" (in Albanian). Koha Jonë. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "Shqiptarja.com - Dorėhiqet Vasili: Kryemadhi kandidate pėr kryetare tė LSI". shqiptarja.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Massive Plagiarism Scandal Hits Albanian Officials without Consequences". Exit - Explaining Albania. 25 December 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "The scandal of dubious diplomas: How accusations of plagiarism at the highest levels were "buried"". politiko.al. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Taulant Muka: Monika Kryemadhi ka kopjuar doktoraturën". Hashtag.al. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  14. ↑ Erebara, Gjergj (21 June 2024). "Albania's Power Couple, Meta and Kryemadhi, Get Divorced". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Ish-presidenti Ilir Meta arrestohet për korrupsion". Reporter.al (in Albanian). 21 October 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2026. ...Meta akuzohet për korrupsion të kryer në bashkëpunim në tre raste, për pastrim parash dhe mosdeklarime e fshehje të pasurisë. Nën hetim për të njëjtat akuza është edhe deputetja Monika Kryemadhi, bashkëshorte dhe bashkëpunëtore e Ilir Metës me të cilin ndodhet aktualisht në proces divorci. Gjykata ka vendosur masën e "detyrimit për paraqitje" para oficerëve të Policisë Gjyqësore për Kryemadhin;
  16. ↑ "Surpriza/Monika Kryemadhi, opinioniste e edicionit të 5 të Big Brother Vip Albania". Gazeta Koha Jonë (in Albanian). 20 December 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Nga politika tek reality show! Monika Kryemadhi e "papritura" e edicionit të pestë të Big Brother-it, zë vendin e opinionistes krahë Arbër Hajdarit". Dosja.al (in Albanian). 20 December 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  18. ↑ Sinoruka, Fjori (26 March 2026). "In Albania, Leveraging Celebrity Exposure to Stay out of Jail". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 18 April 2026. Communications experts say the Big Brother gig represents an attempt by Kryemadhi to divert public attention away from the accusations against her, but they doubt it can influence the outcome of her current troubles.
    Albanian version published the day after: Sinoruka, Fjori (27 March 2026). "Në Shqipëri, politikanët përdorin famën për të shmangur burgun - Reporter.al". Reporter.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
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