TIRANA, May 15 – The country’s opposition has demanded Albania’s Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj resigns after publishing what they allege are wiretaps showing Xhafaj’s brother continues drug trafficking in Vlora.
During a press conference, three Democratic Party lawmakers – Enkelejd Alibeaj, Ervin Salianji and Gazmend Bardhi – published a wiretap recording where who they claim is Xhafaj’s brother can be heard arranging delivery of a drug shipment for a former collaborator.
In the recorded conversation, Agron Xhafaj tells his collaborator not to bother him often, as both him and his brother “are being attacked.”
In this context, Bardhi alleged again that Xhafaj has used the State Police to support his brother’s drug trafficking in addition to last week’s claims saying he also helped him skip his prison sentence in Italy.
In the wake of this recording, Agron Xhafaj sued the DP lawmakers for false denunciation.
According to him, the DP wiretap is “fake, consumed through concoctions and evidence manipulation.”
According to the DP the wiretap was recorded in an ambient environment, while its source was not made public on Monday. In a later media interview, the DP lawmakers said the wiretap was recorded during Xhafaj’s time as minister of interior.
While Xhafaj has not yet given a statement concerning the developments, his Socialist Party gave one after the wiretaps went public, asking the prosecution to investigate and punish the accused based on evidence.
“The DP claims the material is authentic and, if this is true, then we are talking of evidence implicating the minister of interior and his brother. But is this evidence or a show aimed to throw dirt on anyone standing in its way? The prosecution can answer this. In accordance to the law, those in possession of this material that is neither proved or authentic, should submit it to the prosecution,” Taulant Balla, SP lawmaker, said.
