The 'McGonigal' file/ Alibeaj Group requests interpellation with Rama. Here are the questions that the prime minister must answer

2023-01-28 13:21:00Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The 'McGonigal' file/ Alibeaj Group requests interpellation with Rama.

The Alibeajt group has made a request to the Assembly where it demands an urgent interpellation with Prime Minister Edi Rama to provide explanations for the McGonigal scandal. Former senior FBI official Charles McGonigal is accused of receiving Russian money, while there are rumors of secret meetings with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The letter was officially forwarded by the chairman of the DP Group, Enkelejd Alibeaj, in addition to presenting the facts as to why he is requesting this urgent interpellation, he also lists some questions that, according to him, Edi Rama should answer.

"Under these conditions, several questions are raised, to which Prime Minister Edi Rama has so far refused to answer: (i) Who are the persons who were at the four meetings cited in the indictment? (ii) What was discussed during these meetings? (iii) How did the Prime Minister meet the senior FBI official as a private person who had come off duty or as a person sent by the FBI? (iv) If he met him as a private person, why did he discuss issues related to oil concessions with him? (v) Was the planned attack on the Democratic Party for Russian funding part of these talks? (vi) How is it explained that immediately after the meetings with the Prime Minister, the FBI agent was paid $225,000? (vii) How is it explained that immediately after the meetings with the Prime Minister, FBI agent initiates criminal investigation into US Democratic Party lobbyist? (viii) Can the Prime Minister prove that Agron Neza did not act on his behalf, when he stated that he had information on the lobbyist of the Democratic Party, obtained from the office of the Albanian Prime Minister? (ix) Who are the officials of the Prime Minister's office who sent data and information for the initiation of this criminal case? (x) What was the source of the leaders of the Socialist Party talking about a criminal case against the American lobbyist of the Democratic Party, while the case was under investigation and covered by investigative secrecy? (xi) What was the nature of the Prime Minister's relationship with Mr. Dorian Ducka? (xii) What is the reason that this citizen has been provided with a diplomatic passport and a government email, at a time when he was engaged in a private activity? (xiii) Why did the Albanian government break the law to grant the concession of three oil fields to a company associated with Mr. Neza and Mr. McGonigal? (xiv) Why has the Albanian government granted concessions and the status of strategic investor to the Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, after being placed under American sanctions?" - states the request of the DP, addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly.

Below is the complete request of the DP Group:

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, we were notified of the indictment of the Grand Jury of the District of Columbia, dated September 15, 2022, in the criminal case of the United States of America against Charles F. McGonigal, who is charged with concealment of income, false declarations and falsification of documents or data.
The contents of this indictment describe several activities carried out by Albanian citizens, including Mr. Edi Rama, acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Agron Neza, friend of the Prime Minister and Mr. Dorian Ducka, unofficial adviser to the Prime Minister. Specifically, according to the indictment, Mr. Neza paid former FBI counterintelligence director Mr. McGonigal the sum of $225,000 in order to exercise his authority to initiate a criminal case against the lobbyist. American Democratic Party. The information and data were provided by the office of the Albanian Prime Minister. Meanwhile, from the data of the act-lawsuit, it appears that Mr. Neza and Mr. Ducka had direct interests in the granting of licenses for the oil sector in Albania.

Data and official documents have been published in the Albanian media that prove that Mr. McGonigal and Mr. Neza have become partners in an Albanian law firm, which was owned by Mr. Shefqet Dizdari. The latter results that in 2018, through his company "TransOil Group" sh.a., then "TerraOil Sëiss" sh.a., he obtained the concession of three oil-bearing fields in the south of Albania. Referring to decision no. 781, dated 27.06.2019 of the Administrative Court of the First Instance of Vlorë, results that the selection of this company was carried out under favoritism and violation of equality in tenders, bringing an estimated damage to the State Budget in the amount of 300 million dollars.

The above facts and evidence clearly prove that the persons involved had three goals: (i) For Prime Minister Edi Rama, the initiation of a criminal case for the American lobbyist engaged by the Democratic Party; which would then serve to initiate a criminal investigation by the Albanian authorities; (ii) For Agro Neza and Dorian Ducka, the benefit of concessionary licenses in the oil sector; and (iii) For Agent McGonigal, the benefit of $225,000 and other profits from businesses in Albania. All three of these goals were achieved through illegal means.

In these conditions, several questions are raised, to which Prime Minister Edi Rama has so far refused to answer: (i) Who are the persons who were at the four meetings cited in the indictment? (ii) What was discussed during these meetings? (iii) How did the Prime Minister meet the senior FBI official as a private person who had come off duty or as a person sent by the FBI? (iv) If he met him as a private person, why did he discuss issues related to oil concessions with him? (v) Was the planned attack on the Democratic Party for Russian funding part of these talks? (vi) How is it explained that immediately after the meetings with the Prime Minister, the FBI agent was paid $225,000? (vii) How is it explained that immediately after the meetings with the Prime Minister, FBI agent initiates criminal investigation into US Democratic Party lobbyist? (viii) Can the Prime Minister prove that Agron Neza did not act on his behalf, when he stated that he had information on the lobbyist of the Democratic Party, obtained from the office of the Albanian Prime Minister? (ix) Who are the officials of the Prime Minister's office who sent data and information for the initiation of this criminal case? (x) What was the source of the leaders of the Socialist Party talking about a criminal case against the American lobbyist of the Democratic Party, while the case was under investigation and covered by investigative secrecy? (xi) What was the nature of the Prime Minister's relationship with Mr. Dorian Ducka? (xii) What is the reason that this citizen has been provided with a diplomatic passport and a government email, at a time when he was engaged in a private activity? (xiii) Why did the Albanian government break the law to grant the concession of three oil fields to a company associated with Mr. Neza and Mr. McGonigal? (xiv) Why has the Albanian government granted concessions and the status of strategic investor to the Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, after being placed under American sanctions?
Therefore, bearing in mind the above, in order to provide information and explanations regarding the above questions, in the capacity of the Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, in support of Article 80, point 1 of the Constitution of Albania and Article 97, point 1 of the Rules of the Assembly, I request the development of an urgent interpellation with Prime Minister Edi Rama.



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