Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA873
2008-12-12 07:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000873
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS
REF: A. TIRANA 870
B. TIRANA 858
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 000873
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS
REF: A. TIRANA 870
B. TIRANA 858
Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: After a long and contentious investigation,
prosecutors have forwarded the indictment of Foreign Minister
Lulzim Basha to the Supreme Court, which will rule on Basha's
guilt or innocence (ref a). To make matters worse for Basha,
newspapers today printed lengthy excerpts from the
indictment, which was leaked to the press. Basha's defense
has been further complicated by infighting within his
Democratic Party, with Basha's opponents within the party
reluctant to come to his defense in hopes that his legal woes
will eliminate him as a potential political rival. END
SUMMARY.
Legal Troubles Only the Beginning
--------------
2. (C) Basha has not been accused of outright corruption.
Instead, he has been charged with "abuse of office" and for
violating "equal treatment in a tender process." In essence,
Basha is being charged with negligent oversight and
misrepresenting the projected costs of the Durres-Kukes road
project while serving as Minister of Transportation -
negligence which allegedly resulted in vast cost overruns
totaling nearly 600 million euros. Basha's defense team -
when not claiming that the charges are entirely politically
motivated - claims that the approval and oversight of the
road deal was a collective act by the Council of Ministers
and others within the Ministry of Transport (ref b).
Democratic Party Rivals Smell Blood
--------------
3. (C) Basha's legal troubles have been complicated by his
precarious position within the Democratic Party, with
political rivals such as Speaker of Parliament Josephina
Topalli looking on with barely-disguised glee. Other PD
officials such as Prime Minister Berisha have offered only
lukewarm defenses of Basha, while still using the claim that
the charges against Basha are politically motivated to
further attack the Prosecutor General. Arben Cici, President
Topi's Diplomatic Advisor, told PolOff that Basha has little
to worry about from opposition parties - it's his own DP,
Cici claimed, that is out to get Basha. Basha himself echoed
this in a nearly hysterical phone call to the DCM in
November, claiming that leaks to the media alleging ties
between Basha's family and shady Bosnian businessman Damir
Fazlic were coming from his political rivals within the DP.
4. (C) COMMENT: It remains to be seen how much political
damage the indictment will do to Basha. His indictment is
certainly an embarrassment to Prime Minister Berisha, who
campaigned for office in 2005 on an anti-corruption platform.
Basha's trial will probably begin in January and could drag
on for several months - potentially complicating Basha's
candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the
meantime, there is no indication that Basha will resign or
get suspended pending the outcome of his trial.
WITHERS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS
REF: A. TIRANA 870
B. TIRANA 858
Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: After a long and contentious investigation,
prosecutors have forwarded the indictment of Foreign Minister
Lulzim Basha to the Supreme Court, which will rule on Basha's
guilt or innocence (ref a). To make matters worse for Basha,
newspapers today printed lengthy excerpts from the
indictment, which was leaked to the press. Basha's defense
has been further complicated by infighting within his
Democratic Party, with Basha's opponents within the party
reluctant to come to his defense in hopes that his legal woes
will eliminate him as a potential political rival. END
SUMMARY.
Legal Troubles Only the Beginning
--------------
2. (C) Basha has not been accused of outright corruption.
Instead, he has been charged with "abuse of office" and for
violating "equal treatment in a tender process." In essence,
Basha is being charged with negligent oversight and
misrepresenting the projected costs of the Durres-Kukes road
project while serving as Minister of Transportation -
negligence which allegedly resulted in vast cost overruns
totaling nearly 600 million euros. Basha's defense team -
when not claiming that the charges are entirely politically
motivated - claims that the approval and oversight of the
road deal was a collective act by the Council of Ministers
and others within the Ministry of Transport (ref b).
Democratic Party Rivals Smell Blood
--------------
3. (C) Basha's legal troubles have been complicated by his
precarious position within the Democratic Party, with
political rivals such as Speaker of Parliament Josephina
Topalli looking on with barely-disguised glee. Other PD
officials such as Prime Minister Berisha have offered only
lukewarm defenses of Basha, while still using the claim that
the charges against Basha are politically motivated to
further attack the Prosecutor General. Arben Cici, President
Topi's Diplomatic Advisor, told PolOff that Basha has little
to worry about from opposition parties - it's his own DP,
Cici claimed, that is out to get Basha. Basha himself echoed
this in a nearly hysterical phone call to the DCM in
November, claiming that leaks to the media alleging ties
between Basha's family and shady Bosnian businessman Damir
Fazlic were coming from his political rivals within the DP.
4. (C) COMMENT: It remains to be seen how much political
damage the indictment will do to Basha. His indictment is
certainly an embarrassment to Prime Minister Berisha, who
campaigned for office in 2005 on an anti-corruption platform.
Basha's trial will probably begin in January and could drag
on for several months - potentially complicating Basha's
candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the
meantime, there is no indication that Basha will resign or
get suspended pending the outcome of his trial.
WITHERS