Today, on Wednesday October 18, the prosecution still hasn’t started the investigation of former Minister of Interior Saimir Tahiri or of the Habilaj brothers, even though there are at least two verifiable facts that suggest criminal activity: international arms and drug trafficking. And for two years, the prosecution has failed to open any investigation against Tahiri, who openly admitted selling his car on the black market, thus avoiding taxation.
Today, on Wednesday October 18, on 13:15, the Court of Tirana is expected to give its verdict in the case against four activists protesting on February 22, 2016 against the construction of an illegal concrete playground in the Lake Park.
Mimoza Boçari, Ardit Mekshiqi, Orges Zani, and Altin Kudo will hear whether the court will agree with the prosecution and convict to several months of imprisonment for resisting the police.
Against these “dangerous criminals” the prosecution was able to open an investigation on the day of the protest itself, without losing any time. They investigated for months and held a number of sessions in court.
Even though it is clear that the enclosure of the park protected by the police officers was illegal and in violation of several laws and the Aarhus Convention, because Mayor Erion Veliaj had neither a building permit nor any other legal document (these were produced later, after the construction had started, and pushed through the Municipal Council); even though it turned out that the decision to put police officers to protect the enclosure was arbitrary without any legal or procedural context; even though it became clear that the police illegally limited the right of the citizens to use the park; even though the police officers arrogantly offended and exerted unjustified and unnecessary violence toward the protestors, the prosecution didn’t stop but demanded several months imprisonment and absolved the police of all guilt.
Today, on 13:15, Albania takes another step in the war against organized crime and its Western ambitions: it will convict four citizens that dared to protest against the arbitrary actions of a corrupt and abusive government.
