TIRANA, May 21 – Albania’s opposition leader, Lulzim Basha, has called for a large anti-government rally on Saturday in Tirana after revelations in a wiretap which appears to show the interior minister’s brother engaged in criminal activities.
The call came after journalist Jetmir Olldashi came forward as the author of the Agron Xhafaj-Albert Veliu wiretap, which the government claims is fake.
According to Basha, Olldashi’s testimony, in addition to Veliu’s testimony on Friday, is evidence Prime Minister Edi Rama lied concerning the conducted wiretap expertise that he says proves the wiretap is fake.
“When journalists asked in which agency he conducted the expertise within 24 hours, he remained silent and avoided the question. This for one simple reason: Rama is part of this scenario, of this plot to cover the denounced criminal acts,” Basha said.
Specifically, the head of the Democratic Party is accusing Rama and Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj of covering up Agron’s criminal activity, of blocking the anti-mafia law, of falsifying official documents and of high-rank corruption.
On these grounds, Basha called all Albanians to join the anti-government mass rally Saturday.
“Without solving this problem, Albania cannot hope for Europe to open its door,” Basha said.
Rama reacted to Basha’s press statement right after it went public through a Facebook post.
“I will patiently wait for audiosurveillence’s scientific evidence from the prosecution and here we are, Albanians will see and judge for themselves,” Rama wrote.
Speaking at another press conference on Wednesday, Basha said “Xhafaj people” have offered Veliu €200,000 to say his confession was a lie, while adding “the organized crime structure” has threatened Olldashi.
Socialist Movement for Integration leader Monika Kryemadhi also called on SMI supporters to join Saturday’s protest against “the country’s impoverishment.”
“You know how Edi Rama managed to win the elections. In every country in the world, the Prime Minister would have withdrawn from all the scandals happening to Rama,” Kryemadhi said during a meeting with the heads of regional SMI offices.
On the day of the protest, US Deputy Assistant Secretary Pete Marocco will also fly to Tirana to participate and meet other Western Balkan leaders in the 15th Southeast European Meeting on regional security and countering violent extremism.
