US: Law Breakers Turned Law Makers

The three greatest political forces in the country have MPs connected with organized crime, but the embassy cannot prove it through legal ways.

The new Parliament of 2009 has among the MPs drug traffickers and others involved in money sliding.

The US embassy has listed the names of the deputies, starting with Tom Doshi from the Socialist Party, for whom it writes:

“An SP MP from Shkoder, Doshi, known as the richest MP, with a declared fortune of more than $15 million and is also suspected of trafficking narcotics”.

““Representing LSI from Durres, Koka is a member of perhaps the most notorious organized crime family in Albania, with ties to narcotics and human trafficking and other illicit activities.”

“Olldashi, the current Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Telecommunication and DP MP from Fier, is suspected of smuggling goods and narcotics. Circumstantial evidence links Olldashi and Fatmir Kajolli in Fier to Minister of Justice Enkelejd Alibeaj in a scheme to release prisoners from jails to act as electoral bullies.”

“According to one SP source, FM Basha, who represents the DP in Elbasan, was involved in facilitating the release from prison of a notorious criminal in Elbasan in return for support from the criminal’s family.  Relatives of the criminal promised to “organize” people in Elbasan to support Basha.  The criminal was released on June 29, the day after the elections.”

“The 48 year old DP MP from Shkoder is a former professional wrestler with little to no formal education.  Sterkaj was previously in the SP and has been accused by a former friend of murdering a politician in Shkoder a few years ago.  Sterkaj claims to have business interests in oil, restaurants, and construction, but little is known about his activities.”

“SP MP and party General Secretary, Ruci has long-standing ties to narcotics traffickers and organized crime.  Ruci has also been banned from entering the U.S. since 2005 due to permanent visa ineligibility.”

The comment of the cable continues:

“These individuals are now MPs, have immunity under the law, and are responsible for making the laws that will propel Albania toward further Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Ambassador Withers continues with his comment:

“The seedy, possibly criminal, behavior of many of Albania’s MPs is disturbing and does not bode well for democratic development.  It is a widely held view throughout Albania that all parties have MPs with links to organized crime and accept money from organized crime.  This is a very troubling phenomenon that we and the international community will have to address at some point in the future. One bright spot, however, is that there are a few MPs who have begun to recognize that Albania should not have such characters represented in its parliament.”

And the cable concludes:

“How long it will take though to remove these ruffians from power though is another question.”

Top Channel