Berisha: Rama, Balluku and Road Directorate Officials Appear in Documents as a Criminal Organization; Prosecutors Must Reevaluate Charges

Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha claimed that Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister Belinda “Harpy” Balluku, and senior officials from the national Road Directorate appear in official documents as part of a criminal organization. He called on prosecutors to reassess the charges and conduct an investigation free from political influence.

Berisha said that based on documents and evidence in his possession, their actions constitute an organized criminal scheme in which five or six individuals allegedly worked together in a coordinated way, damaging public interests and breaking the law.

The Democratic Party leader argued that in other cases, when several people act as co-perpetrators in a theft or criminal act, they are clearly categorized as a criminal organization. In this instance, he said, that classification has not been applied, creating what he called an injustice and a lack of legal accountability.

Berisha added that proper investigation and legal qualification by the courts would be an important step toward upholding the law and punishing those who have abused public power at the expense of citizens.

Part of Berisha’s statement:

“I’ve heard all the theories, but honestly I can’t say, despite my skepticism toward certain elements of the party-run SPAK, whether this was international pressure or simply a determination to apply the law, given what the Harpy, Ervis, and Edi Rama were exposing through their messages.

In situations like this, a judge, a prosecutor, an investigator either loses all credibility and basically opens the door to prison, because one day this will all be revisited, or does what was done here: applies the law, and applies it decisively.

I repeat: I insist, and I will return here to show you proof that they acted as a criminal organization.

Edi Rama, Harpy Balluku, and the top officials of the Road Directorate, depending on what roles they held, appear in documents as a criminal organization. And if prosecutors and the courts were to qualify them as such, they would fully honor the law.

Because in every other case, when five or six people act together as co-authors in a theft or a crime, they are called a criminal organization. But here, they weren’t. Had Edi Rama and the Harpy been legally designated as heading a criminal organization, you would have seen a very different outcome.”

https://www.syri.net/politike/842416/berisha-edi-rama-lubi-balluku-dhe-drejtuesit-e-drejtorise-se-rrugeve-ne-dokumente-figurojne-si-organizate-kriminale-prokuroria-te-rivleresoje-akuzen/