According to Mother Jones, in March 2017, Albania’s right-wing Democratic Party of Albania (DPA) hired American lobbyist Nick Muzin to promote the DPA in the United States and globally. Biniatta Trade, a Scottish firm that was formed by two Russian-owned shell companies based in Belize, paid Muzin for his work with the DPA. At the time of the agreement, the DPA was challenging the ruling pro-EU government in parliamentary elections. Although it could not confirm who directed the payments, Mother Jones expressed concern that “a Russia-connected source” funneled funds through a shell company “to help the Democratic Party of Albania and to fuel the ongoing political discord in Albania.”