Bardhi from the Assembly offices: Rama is obstructing justice

On Thursday, the head of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, gave a press statement from the Assembly’s offices after the Conference of Presidents.

Bardhi based his statement on the conference that Prime Minister Edi Rama held a day earlier with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The group leader said that, in his view, the state does not function. He added that Rama has become an obstacle to justice.

Gazment Bardhi’s statement

“It is no surprise that there are international partners who, unlike the reality Albanians see and touch, serve us a non-objective conclusion. We have seen ambassadors stand alongside Tahiri, yet he was convicted. The assessments that are made are often not objective. The prosecution has its constitutional responsibilities. Its responsibility is to uncover, investigate and put behind bars anyone who commits a criminal offense. Responsibility for the fight against corruption, in every EU country, does not rest only with the prosecution; it also rests with the Prime Minister, the Police and the other state institutions. When we see in this country that only justice functions and all the other mechanisms that should fight corruption do the opposite, this is the ugliest model of a public official. This is the Albanian reality. I do not expect an international to say: what you are saying is not true. They told me the same about Hyseni. I said in session that she is Agasi’s soldier. Von der Leyen would say she is the excellent model of a security official in an EU candidate country. The truth is often delayed, but it comes out. We will be here, and many other things will shame whoever stands alongside Rama.

The Albanian state does not function. If it did, a responsible prime minister, when an MP stands up and says that Vlora Hyseni is serving Ergys Agasi, would move the whole state to establish whether this accusation holds or not. Lying does not help the country. European standards make Albania European; Gysi does not make Albania European, Balluku does not make Albania European. How can the President of the European Commission stay silent when Rama says: we have never obstructed justice? Was it not Rama who obstructed Balluku’s arrest? Is that not an obstruction of justice? How can you accept someone lying to your face while you bow your head? It shows you are telling the truth neither to Albanians nor to Europeans.

We will always tell the truth. Whether partners listen to us or not matters zero to me. What matters to me is defending the interest of Albanian citizens. These people, their only meeting point is Rama’s office. Ergys Agasi and Vlora Hyseni met each other in Rama’s office. They have power, one as an official and the other as an individual, because of Rama. Whoever does not want to see this, let them stay alone.”