After days of silence, US Ambassador Donald Lu has responded to the Tahiri–Habilaj affair. During a speech at a conference on fighting corruption in higher education, the US Ambassador said the following:
But first, allow me to say two words about the current polemics surrounding former Minister of Interior Saimir Tahiri. All you are seeing how history is being written. What you know is that during communism innocent people were sent to the worst prisons: in Spaç, in Burrel, and in Qafë Bar.
In the last 27 years, this country has been confronted with the shameful problem of powerful politicians, from the right and from the left, have committed terrible crimes and have escaped justice, without exception. It is not up to me to say whether Saimir Tahiri is guilty or not. But it is extraordinarily important that you as leaders of civil society, you as youth and as citizens of Albania, uncover the truth,. The right to know the truth doesn’t belong to any political party. It belongs to the citizens of Albania.
You are not judges or prosecutor, but people who vote. You’ve given your trust to this person as member of Parliament and as important minister in the government. It is your responsibility to demand that the public knows the truth about this issue. If he is innocent, the people need to know this. If he is guilty, he has to face justice.
Prime Minister Edi Rama was quick to thank the Ambassador on Facebook for backing him up:
Thank you Don. A clear message for the Albanians who want justice, no communist trials for anyone whom they have voted or paid with their taxes.
