The government denies the armed forces have been involved in any such illegal activity, considering the accusations as hallucinations.
TIRANA, April 22 – The opposition Democratic Party of Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha insists that the army institutions, barracks, vehicles, logistics have been used to transport drugs.
They are now mentioning some national roads where they have been told that small airplanes have landed to be loaded with drugs and then take off. They insist that Defence Minister Mimi Kodheli should report to the parliament.
The government and Kodheli herself denied the armed forces have been involved in any such illegal activity, considering the accusations as hallucinations. But at the same time they strongly pushed the opposition to take all the proof to the prosecutor’s office. And after waiting for some days, apparently getting angry to such accusations, they asked the parliament to set up an investigative commission and invited the opposition to be part of that.
The opposition initially said they would not take part at the commission that will try to legitimize the government’s failure to fight drug traffic.
But days later they said they would and also added they will ask to widen the scope of investigation.
So that will be another game in the country with the government and the opposition trying to tell the opposite to their supporters, voters and also all the other population.
The local media has tried to question common people in the areas mentioned form the opposition of any indication of the drug traffic. But to no avail. No one even hints of seeing a plane land in their area and take off with loaded drugs.
The government also loudly said such an accusation was inadequate as it was strongly damaging the country’s image again at a time when they are trying to improve that especially for the near summer in an effort to attract more foreign tourists.
The political fight for the alleged drug traffic from the army also turned into ridicule when Prime Minister Edi Rama tried to ironize his predecessor Sali Berisha saying that the plane they tried to tell was one that would be used to disinfect areas of the mosquitoes.
Such a debate will be a strong and hot issue in the days and, why not, months to come.
