The member of the DP National Council, Genc Pollo, has reacted after the confirmation by an American official that Russia has spent about 500 thousand dollars to support the Democratic Party in the parliamentary elections of 2017.
In one of his writings, Pollo states that the PD has no reason to harbor such stains, shadows or suspicions and proposes that the current leadership of this political force undertake a full audit of the issue directed by a Special Commission. According to him, the audit report should be presented to the Presidency, the National Council, the Parliamentary Group and published on the party's website.
Pollo further writes that there is no reason for PD "not to clean up the garbage left in Hauri e Avgjië", summoning all responsible party officials before the Special Audit Commission; including the former chairman of the party, Lulzim Basha and making full transparency on the matter.
Full reaction:
According to international media, a US government official stated that US intelligence agencies are confidentially informing several countries about Russia's secret financing in favor of certain politicians in more than 24 countries. Ned Price, the spokesman for the US State Department, called these Kremlin financings an attack on the sovereignty of these countries.
An anonymous US official told Agence France Presse that Russia spent nearly 500,000 USD to support the Democratic Party of Albania in the 2017 parliamentary elections.
As a deputy elected in 2017, I believed the public explanations of the then president Lulzim Basha that in no way was the source of funding Russia or other countries or organizations unfriendly to Albania (unfortunately it was not presented to the party bodies, as the statute provides) , the annual financial report that could shed light on the details of these payments).
These financings took place outside the official budget of the party and used fiscal shells outside our country. Here we may be dealing with administrative and legal irregularities; maybe even with a criminal offense.
But today we don't just have these problems, which remain partially unsolved.
Sot kemi të bëjmë me pohime zyrtare amerikane se Basha mori financime në vitin 2017 nga një shtet atëherë jomiqësor dhe sot, me agresionin e përgjakshëm kundër Ukrainës dhe rendit ndërkombëtar, një shtet armik.
PDSh si partia që historikisht rrëzoi komunizmin dhe e orientoi Shqipërinë drejt Europës e Perëndimit nuk ka asnjë arsye të mbajë të tilla njolla, hije apo dyshime.
Prandaj do të propozoj zyrtarisht që udhëheqja aktuale, përfshi kryetarin Berisha e Sekretarin e Përgjithshëm Noka të ndërmarrin një audit të plotë të çështjes të drejtuar nga një Komision i Posaçëm. Raporti i auditimit duhet t'u prezantohet Kryesisë, Këshillit Kombëtar, Grupit Parlamentar si dhe të publikohet në websitin e partisë.
I am aware that the situation is complex: due to court complications a number of issues from access to bank accounts to the party website are still controlled by Basha and his people. Also, whatever American information the Rama government receives, I think it will not be used in the state's interest, but to harm the opposition, even now that Basha has fled. He has proven this by abusing certain internationals.
But these are not reasons for PD not to clean up the remaining manure in Hauri e Avgja. Even by summoning all responsible party officials before the Special Audit Committee; including the former chairman of the party. And making full transparency on the issue.
*Member of the National Council of the Democratic Party