Exclusive: Washington’s phone call to Rama. Elections, on June 30th

24/06/2019 20:48

Ambassador Philip T. Reeker, Assistant Secretary for Eurasia at the US State Department, has held a phone conversation with PM Edi Rama.

This phone conversation, requested by Reeker, has been confirmed exclusively for Top Channel by journalist Muhamed Veliu, through two separate diplomatic sources, and from another source at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The same sources have also explained the content of this 20-minute long phone conversation.

Ambassador Reeker has insisted to not make any step back from holding the elections of June 30th.

This position has been held firmly by the US representatives in the last months, and it was reinforced once again in this phone conversation.

On the day when President Meta repealed the decree that had set June 30th as the Election Day, Top Channel reported that Ambassador Philip Reeker had held a meeting with the Eurasia department, to analyze Meta’s decision.

The conclusion of this meeting was announced one day later when a US State Department spokesperson told the Voice of America that they are following the developments in Albania very closely, and is keeping contacts with the respective actors who are legally affected by the President’s announcement.

The US State Department, according to the Spokesperson, will keep following the ongoing situation.

This following up continued this Wednesday, with Reeker’s phone call to Rama, when the US Embassy received the next recommendation.

Last Thursday found the Deputy Acting Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Albania, Daniel Koski, at the offices of Lulzim Basha and Monika Kryemadhi.

The message given to them was the most radical in the history of Albania’s pluralism: “Any act of violence from today to July 1st, will force the US State Department to classify you as a violent organization”, Koski has told them.

The American law for violent organizations, which are ranked right after terrorist organizations, is very harsh.

It affects all leaders and members of the organization, whose assets are confiscated, bank accounts blocked, together with all possible transactions and real estates.

Besides that, they are also not allowed to travel to countries with which the USA has an agreement regarding the fight against violent extremism.

This US law is especially specific for all members of these organizations that have had public posts or business activities.

This message from Washington, given urgently to Basha and Kryemadhi from Daniel Koski, was not confirmed or denied by Embassy.

The effect of this warning was reflected immediately in the protest of this Friday, in which the Democratic Party protesters didn’t throw a single firework.

Top Channel