SP: Serbian arms traffic

Referring to the official documents that do not hold the “secret” stamp, as the Ministry of Defense insists, the Socialist MP declared that the Serbian arms dealer, Zoran Damjanovic, the favorite of Minister Imami, is the protagonist in this suspicious affair, where Albania has no reason to be involved in these transactions of the former Yugoslav military weapons.

““The Ministry of Defense has defended itself so far by saying that they are cleaning Albania from the communist era, referring to the weapons, ammunition, explosives and local military weapons, which are administered by the Albanian Army. I want to show to you today that the relation between the Defense Ministry and the Serbian state company is much more than that. It goes beyond the sale of the communist residues in the Albanian Military. Here is a full file that documents the biggest transaction of military weapons by the Ministry of Defense”, Brace declared.

“It is not classified, but it is a file full of documents and trade agreements, hidden and protected so far under the banal arguments that come from the law ‘For the Defense of Personal Data’, confirmed by Minister Imami and one of his officials. On the center of attention is once again ‘Meico’, the trade agreement of the Defense Ministry. But this time, the traded goods do not belong to the Albanian Army. This is the document, and it is not secret. Albania’s name is on this transaction, offering itself generously and friendly to this Slavic affair”, Brace declared.

The Socialist MP also gave the details of the types of the Yugoslav weapons.

“We are talking about products of the Yugoslav Army, administered by the Montenegrin Army, given to the ‘Montenegro Defense Industry’, branch of the Serbian Yugoimport. 10.000 hand-held anti-tank rockets 64mm RBR M-80 ‘Zolja’. The whole affair has serious ambiguities. There are two commercial contracts, one for 10,000 “Zolja” rockets and the other for 10,000 “Zolja” missiles, 600 hand anti-tank grenade throwers RPG-7; PG-7 rounds for the RPG-7. One is worth 1,200,000 dollars and another worth $ 1.713.00. One is associated with the company the “Limited Zahen”, the other is connected with “Moon Storm Enterprises”, ” Brace clarified.

All this matter is covered by a veil of mystery, as the Albanian side claims that the transaction is not completed, thus not entered in Albania, while Brace says that the Montenegrin documents prove the contrary, that these goods have been sold and entered the country.

“The Ministry of Defense State Export Control Authority declares that the entire transaction has not been realized, but another Montenegrin authority says that this export to Albania has been completed. Based on these uncertainties, we are asking the Defense Ministry and Minister Imami to give explain publicly why Albania has been involved with the trade of weapons that they don’t own. Why the Defense Ministry’s relation with the Serbian companies reaches to this point, the involvement of the Serbian Army weapons. It cannot be hidden anymore. The communism time is over, when everything was kept far from the public. We have caught them in the act with anti-national, anti-constitutional and corruptive actions”, Brace underlined.

DM: Brace published secret documents, will be sued

After the next declaration of the Socialist MP, Erjon Brace, the Ministry of Defense reacted:

“The Ministry of Defense declares that every ammunition and arms transaction has been completed in full accordance with the national and international law. In this process have been involved several local and foreign institutions that constantly manage and inspect all activities in the export of arms and military equipments. The publishing of classified documents is a criminal act. We will address the issue to the justice institutions and will have our country keep the classified information standard, in order to respect the laws. The slanders against the trade activity of the Defense Ministry, which were launched by those who are withholding the integration of Albania in Europe, and who withheld Albania’s NATO membership, only aim to damage the image of the Armed Forces that have successfully passed the deepest reforms in these decades. The Ministry of Defense will continue to dedicate to its constitutional mission and obligations, in order to guarantee National Security and the major interests of the Albanian Republic”, the reaction says.

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