Political crisis in Albania deepens as Bild leaks other taped conversations

The political crisis in Albania has deepened as German newspaper, Bild, has published several other taped conversations, which are part of the so called file 339 that the country’s Prosecutor’s Office is investigating.

Three of these recorded tapes involve prime minister Edi Rama, former socialist energy minister, Damian Gjiknuri and candidate for the mayor of Lezha, Pjerin Ndreu. In the first conversation, Rama is  heard talking to Arben Keshi, interior ministry official. During this conversation, with Keshi, who was in one of the polling stations during the 2017 elections, Rama asks him if he has “reached the objective”.

In the second tape, former minister Gjiknuri tells Keshi that he would send “a couple of problematic guys there just in case”.

The second conversation involves socialist MP and candidate for the municipality of Lezha in the upcoming local elections, Pjerin Ndreu. In this conversation, Ndreu says that “every vote needs to be checked”.

Meanwhile, PM Edi Rama announced that he has decided to press charges against the German journalist, Peter Tiede, for leaking classified information belonging to an ongoing investigation.

The country’s Prime Minister also said that these tapes were leaked not to do justice, but to use it as an instrument of blackmail and smear the country ahead of a pending decision by the European Union regarding the opening of membership talks. /ibna/