Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha condemned today the trial against Democrat MP Ervin Salianji in the Appellation Court as a scandalous process and accused Premier Edi Rama and former Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj of trying to take away Salianji’s MP mandate.

“This is a full triumph of Edi Rama’s Albanian mafia at any level”, Berisha told media reporters in a press conference today.

“Ervin Salianji, in the capacity of an MP, denounced Geron aka Agron Xhafaj as wanted by the Italian justice to serve a 7-year imprisonment sentence as the leader of the drugs international traffic in Bologna”, said Berisha for the brother of Fatmir Xhafaj. “He was also wanted in Venezuela, because he smuggled strong drugs from Venezuela to Italy. He was protected by Edi Rama and his powerful brother Fatmir Xhafaj. That criminal continued undisturbed his dark business from the port if Vlora (south Albania) under the total protection of Edi Rama and Fatmir Xhafaj”.

“Courageous journalists proved through recordings that Geron Xhafaj continued to be the head of drugs traffic from the port of Vlora, and that he was able to secure tones of drugs for the Italian market.

Ervin Salianji did nothing but denouncing the missed consignment to the Italian authorities of the much-wanted Geron Xhafaj, sentenced by a final ruling of the Italian court, and he also published the recording of the investigative reporter that proved that Geron Xhafaj still continued with the traffics”.

“In a scenario that any mobster movie would envy, Geron Xhafaj was detained and brought to Tirana. He sued the journalist and Ervin Salianji for tarnishing his figure. Then, the next morning, at 6 am, the political prosecutors – to avoid any investigation over his criminal activity – extradited him to Italy”.

“The next day, the despicable, shameful, old-school manipulation started to deform the reality, with the implication of (former director of State Police) Ardi Veliu, and the infamous (police inspector) Nushi that was arrested today. Officials of SHISH (the Albanian State Intelligence Service) have been implicated and declared it was Agron Hyseni’s voice, a pretense that was debunked by a British voice analysis laboratory”, said Berisha.