During an interview with the German newspaper Welt, Prime Minister Edi Rama spoke about corruption, the work of SPAK and his political responsibility in these matters.
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Asked about specific cases of corruption, focusing on the arrest of former SHISH director Vlora Hyseni, Rama said that Albania had moved from a system in which corruption was part of the structure of the state to a phase in which institutions are fighting against it.
“Albania was a country where corruption was the system. Today Albania is a country where the system is fighting against corruption. We are in the final phase of cleansing the country,” Rama declared.
Regarding the work of SPAK, Rama said that not all procedures meet European standards.
“Albania has the highest rate of prisoners in pretrial detention on the continent. But this is part of a harsh and unavoidable process. We should receive credit for this,” Rama said, stressing that, “I am proud that our country is now able to hold people accountable, wherever they are. This is my political responsibility.”
Protests
Regarding the protests, in which citizens have been demanding his resignation for 50 months, Rama linked them to Donald Trump: It is Donald Trump’s long shadow that has brought all the world’s media and all the leftists here.
He also said that he had appealed to Democrats in the United States: “I told my Democratic friends in America, if you cannot defeat Trump in America, do not come to Albania to take revenge. This is not right.”
Excerpt from the interview:
WELT AM SONNTAG: Corruption remains a problem in Albania. The head of the intelligence service has been arrested, while there are also many other cases involving investigations and convictions. What are you doing to combat this?
Edi Rama: Albania was a country where corruption was the system. Today Albania is a country where the system is fighting against corruption. We are in the final phase of cleansing the country.
WELT AM SONNTAG: The Special Structure Against Corruption, SPAK, under the supervision of the US and the EU, is acting harshly against high-ranking officials. Is it working?
Edi Rama: In part, it is painful. Not all procedures, in my opinion, meet European standards. Albania has the highest rate of prisoners in pretrial detention on the continent. But this is part of a harsh and unavoidable process. We should receive credit for this.
WELT AM SONNTAG: There are voices calling for you to accept political responsibility, given the arrests and convictions of people in your circle…
Edi Rama: Before I took office, since 1912, when our state was founded, no minister in Albania had ever appeared before an independent prosecutor. I am proud that our country is now able to hold people accountable, wherever they are. This is my political responsibility.
WELT AM SONNTAG: But trust appears to be lacking. For months, citizens have been protesting in front of your government headquarters. The cause was a planned investment project for a luxury resort by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the American president. Protesters accuse you of selling Albania.
Edi Rama: We live in a world where someone is always outraged. Every democracy suffers from this. The protesters have concerns that are entirely legitimate, and I do not deny that. But they are being driven by lies and conspiracy theories.
WELT AM SONNTAG: This project involves four billion dollars, a gigantic sum. Through your contacts with the American president, you have played an important role in this matter. Where do you draw the line between economic diplomacy and a system that depends too heavily on your personal relationships?
Edi Rama: You, too, are a victim of a narrative that is repeated constantly. When all this began, Trump was no longer in office; he could have ended up in prison or returned to the White House. Moreover, there is still no final contract—we are still negotiating. The environmental impact assessment is also still under way.
In fact, there are two separate projects. One is located on an island that is publicly owned. Only eight percent of this island may be built on, and the island remains public. The other is located on a peninsula that is privately owned.
If you brought foreign capital into Germany, would you say that Germany was being sold? Would you say: Germany belongs to the Germans? I represent the interests of my country and I will continue to do so.
WELT AM SONNTAG: Why, then, is the project being criticized internationally?
Edi Rama: It is Donald Trump’s long shadow that has brought all the world’s media and all the leftists here. I told my Democratic friends in America: If you cannot defeat Trump in America, do not come to Albania to take revenge. This is not right.
