Former Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa, during his testimony in the “Partizani” case file, stated that he was initially deputy prime minister, then minister of defense, while in the 2009-2012 period he also served as an MP.
Regarding Club Partizani, Oketa said it had no special interest whatsoever for the Ministry of Defense.
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As for the interest in the property, he said the issue had arrived on his desk as a completed file and, according to the documentation, the property belonged to the owners and the corresponding payments had also been made.
Asked who had the property in its inventory, Oketa said he did not remember the exact name of the responsible directorate, but clarified that it was a structure that still exists today.
During his testimony, the former minister added that even today the Ministry of Defense does not have a complete property inventory. He further said there had been objections from some military personnel, but stressed that he had instructed them to follow the legal procedures after the response received from the Council of Ministers.
Discussions in the courtroom:
SPAK: When were you minister of defense and what functions did you hold?
Oketa: I was deputy prime minister, then I took over the post of minister of defense. From 2009 to 2012 I was a member of parliament.
SPAK: What was Club Partizani in relation to the Ministry of Defense?
Oketa: In my memory, Club Partizani had zero interest for the Ministry of Defense. I do not recall it having any special interest. To my knowledge, it was administered by private individuals. In almost none of the discussions or meetings do I remember there being a view that this club should occupy a special place in the Ministry of Defense.
SPAK: At the time when you were minister of defense, you began implementing the government decision for the club.
Oketa: I was minister of defense and not minister of sports. It had no special place for us, because it was not a place that could be used by the Ministry of Defense. Club Partizani, in my memory, was a private club. I did not consider it at all. A cultural institution is not made by the building, but by the work.
SPAK: Did you take an interest in the property, given that it was under your authority?
Oketa: The first time this issue came to my desk was in my office. The file showed that the property belonged to the owners. The file was complete and they had also made the payment. I had no reason to keep that property under my authority.
SPAK: Who had it in the inventory?
Oketa: I do not remember the exact name, of the directorate, but it is a directorate that still exists to this day.
Oketa: Even today, if you look at the Ministry of Defense website, there is a section that talks about properties and we still do not have a property inventory. There were military personnel who opposed it, since the response had come from the Council of Ministers, I then instructed them to follow all legal procedures in force, as long as the owners had state documents related to this issue. I stress once again: there was no interest for the Ministry of Defense.
SPAK: Did you have representatives of the ministry present when the assessment was made?
Oketa: I do not recall authorizing any military officer in relation to this issue. Eighteen years have passed since that time, but if you have any document with my signature, I am ready to stand by it. The Ministry of Defense had 12,000 personnel, civilian and military. If you claim that the minister must look after everything, then the staff should go home. I belong to those policymakers who signed many delegations of authority; you can see them in the documents.
