TIRANA, Oct. 28 – The center-right European People’s Party group in the European Parliament issued this week a statement expressing support for Albania’s opposition and urging the Socialist government to not hamper an investigation into the former interior minister, Saimir Tahiri.
In the context of enhancing political culture, the EPP’s statement talks of the importance of decriminalizing public offices and fighting organized crime as part of Albania’s aim to strengthen the rule of law in the country and proceed with its European integration.
“The EPP Group fully supports Lulzim Basha, the leader of the Democratic Party, who condemned Albanian Prime Minister’s political pressure on the Prosecutor and the use of the parliamentary majority for political protection of former Minister Tahiri,” the statement noted. “The EPP Group calls upon Prime Minister Edi Rama and the governing majority to immediately interrupt the political pressure against the Prosecutor as well as to channel their political instruments to protect justice.”
The EPP Group added it underlines that decriminalization of public offices is an important step to enhancing political culture in the country.
“Furthermore, the fight against organised crime remains a vital issue for Albania in view of its commitment to the rule of law in the framework of the EU integration,” the statement noted.
Basha said the EPP’s statement “makes it clear where the international community stands on the Tahiri scandal.”
“Support for the prosecutors and judges that are investigating the ties between crime and politics, repercussions towards attacks and political influence towards justice, equality in the face of the law, including the most important politicians,” Basha said.
Basha: New evidence coming on state ties to organized crime
Opposition leader Lulzim Basha said this week that new evidence would soon emerge linking state officials with corruption and organized crime.
Basha did not clarify whether it will be directly linked to the Tahiri and Habilaj case, but rather said that the new evidence will further prove “the strong links between Rama’s government and organized crime.”
