Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha today rejected the accusations regarding the privatization of the former Partizani Sports Complex land, for which he was obliged to appear in court and his son-in-law Jamarber Malltezi was detained.
He spoke from the headquarters of the party as he should chose not to go to the hearing that is being held for the matter in the Special Court.
In a conference for journalists, Berisha spoke about the decision approved by him when he was prime minister “to postpone the deadline for the use of privatization bonds”.
According to Berisha, the decision to use securities in the privatization process gave priority to the former land owners.
“Securities were issued in Albania as a mechanism by which citizens were intended to benefit from the privatization of enterprises. They were widely used in former communist countries. As president, I approved in 1995 their issuance and distribution. They are distributed free of charge to citizens according to age groups.
“In 2008, on the eve of privatization, their use was restored to the extent of 80% with bonds and 20% with ALL. The owners bought about 20 billion ALL of objects that were privatized. The argument with which I am brazenly accused, is that I made it to benefit my son-in-law”.
Thousands of citizens benefited from this decision, argues the former prime minister, and Jamarbër Malltezi was one of them.
Berisha describes the indictment as political, as according to him, Prime Minister Edi Rama is behind the file of the Special Prosecutor’s Office.
“This is a shameful indictment, against a reform that still exists today. Bonds are used as an obligation to citizens, after an entire economy was privatized and they were left empty-handed. The problem is a genuine political indictment of the reforms. PD does not give up anything from its program”.
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