Politics heat up as Basha’s charges are brought to Supreme Court

TIRANA, Dec 8 – Prosecutor general Ina Rama’s office handed over the charges against Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha, charged with abuse of post from when he was serving as transport minister overseeing the contract to build a road segment on the Durres-Kukes-Morini highway.
Basha’s lawyer, Zef Nikaj, declined to sign the documents when he became aware of the charges, first sent to him by post.
Prosecutor Arben Kraja again sent an invitation to Basha to summon him, in an effort to complete the formal procedures.
Basha is being accused of 232 million Euros in damage he has cost the public budget when issuing the contract to the US-Turkish joint corporation, Bechtel-Enka, for the Rreshen-Kalimash road segment.
Basha’s case has since turned into a hot political subject in the country.
The opposition has called on the governing Democrats and their Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, to stop interfering in the prosecutor’s work while the latter accuse the prosecutor’s office of being at the disposal of the opposition in a political fight against Basha.
As a minister, Basha may be tried only by the Supreme Court.
The prosecutor’s office is also involved in another case, including Basha, indirectly. They are investigating the Bosnian-Serb businessman, Damir Fazlic, a close friend of Basha and Berisha, who formerly employed Basha’s brother-in-law. Officials have already frozen his properties.
Such a move has been opposed by Fazlic through his lawyers in the country. The case is being considered by the Tirana district court.