New York — Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday that he has become an Albanian citizen, putting him one step closer to his recurring dream of leaving politics behind and living abroad.
Adams, a Democrat, received honorary citizenship “at his request,” according to the New York Times. Official decree From the country’s president, Bajram Bejaj.
It was the news Reported for the first time In the Albanian press this was confirmed by Adams’ spokesman, who said that the former mayor “has been a long-time friend and ally of the Albanian-American community.”
“The Republic of Albania’s decision to grant Mayor Adams citizenship reflects that enduring relationship and mutual respect,” spokesman Todd Shapiro said in a text message, adding that the recognition “strengthens the bond between New York and Albania.”
Adams, who once described himself as an “international mayor,” has previously expressed his affinity for the small Balkan nation. His adult son was living in the country while competing on the Albanian version of “American Idol” and Adams traveled there himself in October. One of several international flights Taken in his final months in office.
Purpose, that is He said at the timeIt was “saying hello to a friend, learning from a friend, and building a friendship that will neither let our oceans nor our seas divide us.”
It was not immediately clear what, if anything, Adams plans to do with his new citizenship. But he has previously expressed his desire to move away from his hometown of New York City.
“When I retire from government, I will live in Baku,” Adams, then Brooklyn’s borough president, said at a ceremony honoring the Azerbaijani community in 2018. A few years later, in an interview with a Jewish publication, Adams said he would like to retire in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
As mayor, Adams’s penchant for international travel led him to… Federal indictment It focused in part on allegations that he accepted improper travel benefits from foreign nationals.
Adams denied the allegations, and President Donald Trump’s Justice Department later ordered the case dropped. Adams later met with Trump administration officials about the possibility of him serving as ambassador, which did not materialize.
Shortly after dropping his faltering re-election bid, Adams embarked on a four-day trip to Albania, where he met with the country’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and members of his cabinet, along with local business leaders. The trip was paid in part by the Albanian government.
Since leaving office, Adams has been seen in Dubai and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, although his day-to-day activities remain a source of some speculation.
In January, he launched a cryptocurrency that he said would Overcome anti-Semitism and “anti-Americanism.”But it came under scrutiny after losing millions of dollars in value.