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Russian money for the DP, Kim: You must take steps to protect yourself from the Kremlin's efforts...

2022-09-29 21:29:54Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

 

The US Ambassador in Tirana, Yuri Kim, during the interview on the show "Opinion" was asked this Thursday also about the issue of Russian financing in politics. The ambassador stressed that steps must be taken to guard against attempts by Russia and others to undermine democracy. According to the ambassador, this includes the establishment of campaign finance laws, as well as the establishment of measures against money laundering.

Blendi Fevziu: I will return to the meeting with former President Meta. A news release has been published about a secret US Secret Service report on Russia's financing around the world. Let's say funding from Putin and the Kremlin. According to the Voice of America, this report says that in Albania, 500,000 dollars were given to the Democratic Party from Russian sources. What information do you have more than we have on this news?

Ambassador Yuri Kim: Yes, I don't have anything more to make public than what came from Washington. I will not comment on any specific case, but there is something. The situation in Albania is not unique. In other words, we have seen the Russian government try everywhere in the world to undermine democracies, to cast doubt on democratic processes, on elections...

Blendi Fevziu: They have done it openly in some countries in Europe...

Ambassador Yuri Kim: ...they did it in Europe, they also did it in the United States.

Blendi Fevziu: Yes, even in the United States, you had an investigation with...

Ambassador Yuri Kim : Yes. You know, just like earlier this year, actually at the end of last year, we started to openly share information on what Russia was trying to do in Ukraine. We decided to share information about what Russia is trying to do in democracies around the world…

Blendi Fevziu: Have you shared this information with the Albanian government?

Ambassador Yuri Kim: Yes, we...

Blendi Fevziu: ...because I asked Prime Minister Rama and he told me we don't need information because we know this story...

Ambassador Yuri Kim: So, we share information with democracies in the world on this point. But we also share information with the public and the key information is that since 2014, we have verified that the Russian government has spent at least, at least 300 million dollars, which is nothing...

Blendi Fevziu : Yes, it could be much more...

Ambassador Yuri Kim:…just a small percentage of the amount of money Russians pay to influence the media, to bribe politicians and other leaders, to buy ads, to buy articles, to spread misinformation and disinformation on social media. So the point of sharing this information on Russian efforts to undermine democracies is to say, we've experienced it, we know you've experienced it, and we need to take action. For example, I met last week with the head of the Central Election Commission, along with leaders of all political parties, and the main message there was: you must take steps to guard against efforts by Russia and others to undermine democracy. This includes establishing campaign finance laws, as well as establishing anti-money laundering measures.

Blendi Fevziu: But why have American officials mentioned in this entire report for 300 million dollars only Albania, Bosnia, where everyone knows the influence of Russia there, and Madagascar, why Albania?

Ambassador Yuri Kim: I cannot comment on the specifics...

Blendi Fevziu: A small country, at 300 million dollars, should Albania be mentioned?

Ambassador Yuri Kim: I think it's just an illustration of the real dangers at stake. But the key point is that we must act. We must act.


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