U.S. Wants Politics Out Of Gerdec Investigation

TIRANA, June 3 – U.S. Ambassador John Withers met Tuesday with Prosecutor General Ina Rama to appeal to Albanian politicians to not become involved in the investigation of the March 15 Gerdec tragedy.
The appeal comes at a time when the two main political parties have been arguing over lifting the parliamentary immunity of former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu.
Withers said the American government will view with disappointment and alarm any effort to allow outside parties to influence this investigation, said a U.S. embassy statement.
“It is the Prosecutor General’s constitutional duty, and not of any other body of government, to conduct her work without interference. For this to take place, it is essential that Parliament immediately address the question of parliamentary immunity.”
The Ambassador assured the Prosecutor General that the United States government remains irrevocably committed to an impartial and thorough investigation that is based exclusively on legal evidence, according to the statement.
The U.S. government will not prejudge the outcome of any legal proceeding, but expects the evidence alone to be the critical component in determining the scope and nature of the investigation, it said.
“The American government and people will be deeply concerned if any political faction, party, or leader makes statements or takes actions that in any way injects a political agenda into what must be an impartial and independent investigation based on the rule of law,” said the statement.