Gazment Bardhi, head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, has criticized President Bajram Begaj’s decision to convene the National Security Council, which is expected to meet next week following the arrest of former SHISH director Vlora Hyseni.
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According to Bardhi, citizens do not need an institutional show, but clear answers and accountability. He called on the President to explain his actions, just as Prime Minister Edi Rama must do.
Albania does not need institutional spectacle, but concrete answers.
The serious developments within the State Intelligence Service and the placement of the head of this institution under arrest have created a situation that requires full clarification.
In this context, President Bajram Begaj’s convening of the National Security Council should not serve as a formality or an institutional show.
The main question the President must answer to Albanians is what verifications supported the decision to appoint Vlora Hyseni as head of SHISH by decree.
Begaj must make public what information was reviewed, what checks were carried out and what procedures were followed before her appointment to lead one of the most important national security institutions.
The opposition had previously raised questions and concerns about this appointment, while recent developments have made them even more urgent.
The President must also clarify what he verified and what was not verified by the institution he leads before issuing the decree.
Important issues also concern the protection of classified information, human sources and sensitive data administered by SHISH.
If there was, or remains, a risk that information held by this institution, or the identities of sources and informants, may have been exposed to criminal structures or the services of unfriendly countries, then the potential consequences for national security are extremely serious.
According to Bardhi, the President’s responsibility is not limited to developments in recent days.
Over the past two years, serious allegations and concerns have been made public about the way SHISH operates, as well as alleged relationships between certain individuals and organized crime structures.
Begaj must state whether these concerns were verified by the responsible institutions and, if so, what the conclusions were.
The demand does not concern the President’s interference in SPAK investigations or court decision-making, but his obligation to account for his institutional responsibilities.
Transparency is also required regarding the blocking of the swearing-in of a member of the Constitutional Court, which was allegedly done on behalf of Ergys Agasi.
The President must explain the reasons for and the institutional basis of the delay of more than 47 days in the swearing-in of Mr. Asim Vokshi.
He must also clarify whether this delay was part of a normal institutional procedure or whether it was related to other circumstances that should be made known to citizens.
Allegations of unlawful influence or interference by criminal groups in the composition of the Constitutional Court are far too serious to remain merely at the level of political statements. They require transparency and verification by the competent authorities.
The National Security Council cannot be used as a substitute for accountability. Just like the Prime Minister, the President must also answer for his decisions, clarifying what he verified, what he knew, what he did not know and what measures were taken to protect national security.
Albanians do not need a President who appears only after a crisis has erupted. They want a President who takes responsibility, accounts for his actions and guarantees that the Republic’s security institutions are not used for political or criminal interests.
Before any formal meeting of the National Security Council, Bajram Begaj must provide citizens with the transparency they deserve.
No propaganda, no formality and no silence, but responsibility and transparency.
