Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA858
2008-12-03 16:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:  

GOA LAMBASTES "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" INDICTMENT

Tags:  PGOV ECON PHUM PREL KCOR KJUS AL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7633
PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHTI #0858 3381616
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 031616Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7660
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000858 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV ECON PHUM PREL KCOR KJUS AL
SUBJECT: GOA LAMBASTES "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" INDICTMENT
OF FM

Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000858

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV ECON PHUM PREL KCOR KJUS AL
SUBJECT: GOA LAMBASTES "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" INDICTMENT
OF FM

Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. SUMMARY: (C) In recent days the GOA has intensified
pressure on the
Prosecutor General's (PG) office with two statements, one
from the PM and a longer one from the MFA, which harshly
criticized both the opposition and the PG for the
"politically" motivated indictment of FM Lulzim Basha on
November 27. The MFA's November 29 pronouncement called
Basha's indictment for his role in the Durres-Kukes road
project, "a wild, unprecedented, and purely political
attack." The release primarily attacked SP Chairman and
Mayor of Tirana Edi Rama, but indirectly criticized the PG
as well. It also alleged that someone in the PG's office
took
"fabricated" information from Edi Rama in order to create a
case against Basha. Last week, Edi Rama called for FM
Basha to resign from office. (Note: The allegations stem
from Basha's time as Minister of Transport when he oversaw
the tendering of the contract for the road.) END SUMMARY.

Berisha to the Rescue
--------------


2. (C) On December 1, PM Berisha chimed in and offered full
support for Basha, saying Basha followed and enforced all
the rules and regulations during his time as Minister of
Transport. He then called the charges against Basha
"political" in nature and pledged that the road, the
"Albanian corridor," will be completed in July 2009. For
good measure, he said Albania remains committed to the rule
of law.

Basha: "You Got Nothin' On Me"
--------------


3. (C) Basha's attorneys are mounting a "procedural"
defense, claiming that the PG's office does not have the
legal authority to indict Basha since a lower court ruled
the investigation should have ceased on November 6.
Officials in the PG office have said this "unprecedented"
decision was "purely political" as well, and have countered
that the court ruling obligated the PG's Office to end only
the investigative phase of the case against Basha, not drop
the case altogether.


4. (C) Comment: Claims that the Prosecutor General's office
is nothing more than a tool of the opposition is a new tactic
by the government in its ongoing efforts to undermine the PG
and make the PG do the government's bidding. In this case,
it would appear the GOA wants the PG
to drop its so-called "political" indictment against a
leading member of the ruling government, but also paint Ina
Rama and her office as political hacks more intent on
settling political scores than evenhandedly enforcing the
law. (NOTE: The PM and his GOA majority Democratic Party
heartily supported the appointment of Ina Rama as Prosecutor
General.) Serious corruption allegations in an election year
are the last
thing PM Berisha wants to contend with, and only fuel the
public perception that Berisha's much-touted anti-corruption
efforts are nothing but talk. Meanwhile, each side will
continue to position itself as the defender of
the law and the peoples' will.

WITHERS