Only six months before the elections, the Albanian government has signed
an agreement with the consulting company, Patton Boggs, mentioned in
several controversial debates about their large earnings.
Top Channel was able to secure a copy of the agreement with strong politically biased demands by the Albanian government, and that were accepted by Patton Boggs in this electoral year.
“Patton Boggs” is committed to lobby in the US political levels in favour of the Albanian government, so that they can guarantee positive interviews for Albanian officials in the US media, to train them for these interviews, to intervene in the media before they publish critics against the Albanian government, and secure positive result of studies about the achievements of the Albanian government in the best American institutions.
On December 7th 2012, the Albanian government signed a lobbying agreement with the US Company “Patton Boggs”, with which they have good relations of many years.
The first cooperation was realized in 2008, with the privatization of ARMO. The new agreement was not made public, but Top Channel secured a full copy that foresees lobbying even for the interviews of the Albanian government representatives in the American media, and even the intervention of this company when these media have news about Albania.
The agreement was signed between the General Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Gjergj Lezha, and Edward Newberry, a Patton Boggs partner. The agreement foresees detailed lobbying services that the American company will carry out on behalf of the Albanian government in a very important year for the majority, the electoral year.
These are included in four main categories. First are the legal and executive services, with Patton Boggs promising to secure and deepen US government support for Albania.
The Company undertakes to lobby at the US Senate and Congress and promote the political and economic achievements of the Albanian institutions even in the US administration.
The second field is that of advising and supporting the biggest American NGOs that publish reports about Albania, including Freedom House, the University of Harvard, the Kato Institution and many others.
A few days ago, Prime Minister Berisha based his declaration on a study that he introduced as a product of “Boston Consulting Group”, which promoted Albania’s economic achievements as the fourth country in the world that was turning the economic growth into well being for its citizens.
The third package of services is connected with the promotion of economic development and investments. Patton Boggs will demand financial support from renowned world finance institutions and will try to achieve support from the US government for different investment projects in Albania.
The last part of the agreement is related with the image of the Albanian government. Patton Boggs will intervene in US media outlets to secure interviews for high rank Albanian officials during their visits in the US.
The Company will also prepare and train Albanian government representatives for the interviews on these media outlets by implementing the best communication practices, according to the agreement.
The Company also undertakes to monitor the American media and intervene if they will have important news reports for Albania.
It is not difficult to understand that the new agreement between the Albanian government and Patton Boggs is an agreement that besides lobbying in the saloons of the American politics also undertakes to make a good presentation of the Albanian officials coming from the majority, to cure their image, intervene for positive news about Albania and ignore critical news only six months before the general elections.
What is Patton Boggs?
Patton Bogs is a familiar name for the Albanian public. This company has been paid by the Albanian government since 2008, only for lobbying.
The agreements vary from 200.000 to 300.000 USD each year, only according to the official figures.
This company has also been the legal adviser of all important privatizations in Albania.
The two most important ones are ARMO and Albpetrol. The opposition declared that the first one is a failed investment, while the second was admitted even by the government as at least problematic.
Patton Boggs was the company that certified the guarantee for the Albpetrol bid, which has never arrived in Albania.
The Albanian government has officially asked the execution of 85 million EUR from the bank where the guarantee was supposed to be, but the money never arrived.
This issue might go to court, but taking the money seems mission impossible for the Albanian government.
If it will succeed, Patton Boggs will take an additional payment of 22 million EUR.
Top Channel
