The majority and opposition members of the parliamentary Council of Mandates have decided to respond to the request of the Prosecution of Serious Crimes to remove the parliamentary immunity of deputy Saimir Tahiri with two different reports directed to Parliament.
The majority members from the PS oppose the request of the Prosecution, proposing only a partial lifting of Tahiri’s immunity, allowing a search of his assets but not his arrest, whereas opposition parties PD and LSI support fully stripping Tahiri of his immunity.
Parliament will vote tomorrow on both reports.
PS
PS deputies Vasilika Hysi, Klotilda Bushka, Ulsi Manja, and Bledi Çuçi recommend Parliament to vote against the request of the prosecution to be allowed to arrest Saimir Tahiri, but in favor of their request to allow his home and personal property to be searched.
According to the PS deputies, the prosecution has presented no proofs that link former Minister Tahiri directly to the Habilaj gang. Moreover, the deputies claim that the prosecution has a political aim.
Contrary to claims of the PS, the prosecution is not expected to produce any “proof” in front of the Council in order for the latter to strip a deputy of their immunity. Proof only needs to be presented in court in order to obtain an arrest warrant. In spite of this crucial difference in the law, the PS deputies have consistently tried to blur the boundaries between the Parliament and the judicial branch.
PD + LSI
PD deputies Dhurata Çupi, Eduard Halimi, Gent Strazimiri, Enkelejd Alibeaj, and LSI deputy Nasip Naço recommend the Parliament to vote in favor of the request of the prosecution and allow both the arrest and search of assets to take place.
According to their report, the prosecution has presented sufficient facts that suggest Tahiri’s involvement in the Habilaj case. The deputies argue that there is enough proof in the dossier presented by the prosecution to show that the former minister has been paid to create the necessary conditions to ensure the untouchability of the Habilaj gang and its drug trafficking and cultivation activities.
The opposition deputies also suggest that Tahiri has used his control over the police to assist the Habilaj brothers in their criminal activities. Not arresting Tahiri would risk the destruction of evidence.
