We unanimously refuse the request for arrest, but we are in favor of a full investigation, the removal of the authorization to leave the country, obligation to present to the court police, control of the person and house, and prohibition to stay in certain areas.
This is what Prime Minister Edi Rama said today during the meeting of the parliamentary group of the PS, discussing the request of the Prosecution of Serious Crimes to remove the parliamentary immunity of former Minister of Interior and PS deputy Saimir Tahiri, who has been accused of international drug trafficking in an organized criminal group and passive corruption.
Although the Prime Minister stated that he accepted the investigation of Tahiri, he launched a strongly worded attack on the Prosecution, accusing it of wanting to bring his government down:
Where did a prosecution of serious crimes, which has not lifted a single finger since it was created, find this unknown drive. Not for facts and proofs that are known and clearly seen as very dubious. Never. Not once.
Such a great name and speechless record. In what epoch of stone was the courage found to send a deputy to jail with four leaves of a grocery list that would offend any grocer… where the invoice ends with “etc.” And on whose account did these prosecutors want to put this invoice of imprisonment. That’s how they fight criminals, with “etc.” and then on the way they decide whether it was you or someone else.
What are we, signing the invoice for the arrest of a deputy or do they think we’re accountants?
Or did they come to us in a dead-end alley… let’s bring down the government of crime.
At the end of his speech, Prime Minister Rama declared that Saimir Tahiri will no longer be part of the parliamentary group of the PS, but didn’t clarify whether the former Minister of Interior will also cease to be the Chairman of the PS in Tirana, the National Coordinator of Co-Governance with the People, and member of the party’s leadership.
