Albanian ‘nationalists’ cleaned of charges

GJIROKASTRA, Feb 17 – Two young men in southern Tepelena were cleared of their charges of violating the public rule.
The Gjirokastra district court decided that it was wrong for the prosecutor’s office to start an indictment against Luan Halili and Orgen Hasanbegaj for holding a protest in their home village of Toc in the Tepelena district.
They were accused of “organizing and participating in illegal gatherings in cooperation” for holding a protest with an Albanian national flag to protest against the prefect of Gjirokastra district Spiro Ksera and the mayor of Himara, Vasil Bollano who had allegedly said that southern Albania is part of Greece’s Northern Epirus and for putting road signs only in the Greek language.
Judge Shkelqim Mustafa decided to stop the case saying they had not created any offence.
“From what is seen, it appears that two young people had no legal obligation to notify the police of the gathering place,” said the judge.
The two young men said, however, that they had already told the police about their gathering.
“This verdict put in place our national dignity,” said Luan Halili, while Orgen Hasanbegaj said “today it was proved that justice exists.”
Individual citizens and also other organizations and G99, the newly-created political party supported the two young men’s patriotic act.