The Albanian Prime Minister clashes with the President over the passport for Cobbinah Winful of Ghana
Albanian President Ilir Meta has been accused of forging documents to grant Ghana international Albanian citizenship Winful Cobbinah by Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The President of Albania, Ilir Meta, granted full citizenship of the country of Southeast Europe to Ganez, who had just spent only two years in Albania after five years of continuous legal residence are required to apply for citizenship.
The winning Albanian citizenship of Cobbinah was eased in just eight hours.
Prime Minister Edi Rama reportedly reacted to the President’s move to grant full citizenship to the Ghanaian and accused him of falsifying documents for the FK Tirana star.
A spokesman for Albanian President Tedi Blushi has reacted to accusations being made by the Prime Minister regarding the forgery of documents by the President to grant Cobbinah Albanian citizenship.
He described the allegations made by the Albanian Prime Minister as an anti-national attack on FK Tirana and their supporters in a Twitter post.
“Ilir Meta has so much to do with the Constitution as it has to do with the Golden Ball, that African footballer who got the Albanian passport for 8 hours from Iliri, while he was accused in Albania of forging documents! Both together, yes, they have a link: They scored a goal with the head of justice! “
Ilir Meta has as much to do with the Constitution as it has to do with the Golden Ball, that African footballer who received his Albanian passport for 8 hours from Ilir, while he was accused in Albania of forging documents! Both together yes, they have a connection: I scored with the head of justice!
– Edi Rama (@ediramaal) October 23, 2020
Given that the Ghanaian has not spent five years in Albania, the decision of the President of the country – who is also an ardent supporter of KF Tirana – to grant citizenship to the Ghanaian speaks volumes about the way he is valued in that country.
Many also see this move by the Albanian government as an attempt to persuade Cobbinah to change nationality to play for them, even though he has been invited to the Ghana national team several times.
But with the softening of FIFA’s nationality change rules, it could be a move by Albania for them to make it play for them even though Cobbinah has not expressed interest in playing for Albania.
Cobbinah follows other African football players including the well-known Abraham Alechenu, Charles Ofoye and James Adeniyi who have received all Albanian passports in the past.
The former Accra Hearts of Oak star played an influential role for the squad after ending the Katergoria Superiorelast season, ending an 11-year drought with their latest success dating back to the 2008/2009 season.