Nano, you have no place in the USA
Shyti on the government lists to be ambassador in Brussels
Washington questions the Albanian prime minister: “What will you do about the return of the money?” The American Congress is concerned about political repression in Albania
Nano, you have no place in the USA
Prime Minister Nano admits his links with crime committees. Albert Shyti on the government list to be ambassador in Brussels
Prime Minister Fatos Nano answered with arrogance the question of whether he is maintaining ties with the leaders of the crime committees. In an interview yesterday for the Greek newspaper “Elefterotipia”, Nano admitted that he is holding talks with people from the “salvation committees”, calling these structures “citizens’ forums” and saying that they include “individuals and entities” with “different political orientations and stances”.
In this way, the Albanian prime minister fully confirms his links with the structures of crime and terror that are being set up in the name of “citizen forums”. Referring to these committees, Nano stated that “in a certain way they have been allies in a difficult task for local government, organizing community life under conditions of chaos”.
Prime Minister Nano’s statements come at a time when concern is growing in the USA over the ties between the Tirana government and organized terror. Just a few days ago, in a report by one of the committees of the American Congress, the Tirana regime was sharply denounced for “political coercion” against the opposition and its links with the “crime committees”.
In such a context, the Albanian prime minister sees as remote the chances of a visit to the USA, an invitation he continues to seek insistently. A senior official in Washington, asked about the possibility of a Nano visit to the USA, replied: “Has he made the return of the money?”
Unofficial sources in Washington say that the unpleasant climate for the Albanian government in the USA has worsened further after the publication of the news that the government’s list of ambassadors to Brussels also includes the name of Albert Shyti, former director of the military plant in Poliçan and cousin of Safet Zhulali. To this day, the Albanian government has given no denial of this news.
The concern in American circles is linked to the fact that Albert Shyti is at the center of a scandalous case. As is known, in the last quarter of 1992, a considerable number of rockets of various types disappeared from the Poliçan plant. The then Deputy Attorney General, Shkëlqim Hajdari, had declared that around 55,000 rockets had been trafficked through Greece toward an African country. According to some versions, the country in question was Sierra Leone.
As for the concern of the USA, the investigations carried out by the prosecutor’s office brought no results, but the name of Albert Shyti remained implicated in that affair. Later, during this year’s election campaign, the “Poliçan” case returned to the center of attention through statements by the opposition leader, Sali Berisha. At the same time, various media outlets have expressed surprise at the question of how the government can appoint a person linked to such an affair to the sensitive post of ambassador.
Another question that continues to remain at the center of attention is that of the “money,” which the senior Washington official referred to. Although the article does not fully clarify it, he is likely referring to funds that disappeared during the unrest and various financial affairs, for which the Albanian government has come under heavy criticism from abroad.
Prime Minister Nano in New York