
The former president of the Partizani club testified today in the next court session held at the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (SCOC) for the "Partizani" file, with former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, his son-in-law Jamarbër Malltezi and several others as defendants.
Asked by SPAK about the relationship between the club and the "Partizani" company, Xhani stated that around 2000-2001, the sports association was transformed into a joint-stock company, according to the laws of the time and the rules of FIFA and UEFA.
He said that they did not have ownership documentation for the sports fields and initially thought that the land had no owners. According to him, it was later learned that the property had about 200-300 former owners, who had not received the appropriate compensation.
In his testimony, Xhani accused former Tirana mayor Edi Rama of changing the destination of Partizan's sports fields. He said that he had personally communicated with Rama when the latter was the head of the Tirana Municipality, to secure permission for the reconstruction and expansion of the sports fields.
"He was the mayor. We let him meet. When I met him, I told him, I pushed the wall. I told him, give me permission for the fields. The permission came out after 15 days, for the Partizan fields. I had that permission until a few years ago with his signature. He told me, their destination will not change. They will stay that way.
Some time later, Bejkush Birçe called me. He told me that a grave had been opened. The destination had been changed. I called the Prime Minister, but he didn't answer me. From that moment on, we haven't spoken again. The reason why we were left without sports fields is the then mayor, Edi Rama," he said.
Regarding the Ministry of Defense, Xhani said that the institution held a symbolic percentage of shares due to the club's name and emblem, but according to him, he had not received any funding from the Ministry.
"The ministry wanted to keep the emblem and the name, so it was a 1% shareholder, I think. They also offered us 80 million lek every year. I did not accept it and I have not received a single lek from the ministry," he said.
Prosecution: Explain to us your relationship with the Partizani club and society?
Xhani : In 2000, we transformed the Partizani association into a joint-stock company, according to the law and the rules of Fifa and Uefa. I was elected president.
From 2000 to 2013 we continued as a joint stock company. We had no documentation for the land. I thought there was no owner there. Later we learned that there were about 200-300 owners there.
The club owners had not received compensation, those gold Napoleons. My lawyer told me: There is only one road, if the destination is for public purposes, you can benefit from the use contract. If it goes to privatization, you get nothing. The former owners automatically have the right of pre-emption. Some of the owners told me: The land is ours. They told me to give me money too, but I refused.
I also had a family misfortune. In 2002 or 2003 we had a conflict, Partizani with Sinoptika. Former athletes told me that Sinoptika's wall was 2 meters away. I pushed him to expand the mini-soccer field.
They took me to the police station once every 3 days. I told this tall guy, the prime minister, on the phone, where are you? He was the mayor. We let him meet. When I met him, I told him, I pushed the wall.
I told him to give me permission for the fields. The permission came out 15 days after the Partizan fields. I had that permission until a few years ago with his signature. He told me, their destination will not change. They will stay that way.
Some time later, Bejkush Birçe called me. He told me that a grave had been opened. The destination had been changed. I called the Prime Minister, but he didn't answer me. From that moment on, we haven't spoken again. The reason why we were left without sports fields is the then mayor, Edi Rama.
Prosecution: What about the Ministry of Defense?
Xhani: The ministry wanted to keep the emblem and the name, so it was a 1% shareholder, I think. They also offered us 80 million lek every year. I did not accept it and I have not received a single lek from the ministry.
There have been 3 assemblies at Shqup. Representatives of the ministry have participated. It was done in accordance with the rules and laws.
Prosecution: Have you made investments?
Xhani: We renovated the premises. The fields cost 200-300 thousand. When we left, I didn't take any of my belongings with me. When you take it to heart, you don't notice the others. From 2010, we weren't doing well financially and these Parot-Barot-Laroys came.