Dergoi për publikimim: Gjin Musa
KABLLOGRAM Sekret i Ambasades Amerikane, derguar DASH.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS.
Klasifikohen Nga: Ambasadori John L. Withers II, arsyet 1.4 (b) dhe (d)
Problemi Basha,dhe rivaliteti politik brenda PD-se.
PËRMBLEDHJE: Pas një hetimi të gjatë dhe të diskutueshme, prokurorët kanë përcjellë padinë e ministrit të Jashtëm Lulzim Basha në Gjykatën e Lartë, e cila do të vendosë mbi
fajësine apo pafajësine e Bashes.
Por gjerat me keq per Bashen i kane bere shkrimet ne gazeta ku kane nxjerre akuzat e gjata ne shtyp
¶ 3. Problemet ligjore te Bashës janë komplikuar nga pozicioni i pasigurt e tij
në kuadër të Partisë Demokratike, me Rivalët politikë si Kryetarja e Parlamentit Jozefina
Topalli e cila po ndjell e maskuar,eren e gjakut,per ta eleminuar Bashen si rival te mundeshem politik
Vec Kryeministrit Berisha. PD dhe zyrtarë të tjere , kanë ofruar vetëm mbrojtje të vakët të Bashës, duke përdorur pretendimin se akuzat ndaj Bashës janë të motivuara politikisht duke sulmuar me tej Prokurorin e Përgjithshëm.
Vetë Basha në një bisedë telefonike gati histerike me KKM në Nendor pretendonte se rrjedhjet në media per lidhjet mes tij, familjes dhe biznesmenit boshnjak Damir Fazliç (hije e Bashës) vjen nga rivalët e tij politikë brenda PD-së.
” Në thelb,
2. (C) Basha nuk ka qenë i akuzuar për korrupsion të plotë. Në vend të kësaj, ai është akuzuar për “shpërdorim detyre” dhe për shkelje ne “trajtim të barabartë në një proces të tenderit.
” Në thelb, Basha është duke u ngarkuar me mbikëqyrjen nga pakujdesia te projektit qe shtrembërojnë kostot e projektuara të rrugës Durrës-Kukës ndërsa shërbente si ministër i Transportit –
Neglizhenca e cila dyshohet se ka rezultuar në tejkalimin e madhe të kostos që arrijnë në rreth 600 milionë euro.
Padia ndaj Bashes është sigurisht një siklet ndaj kryeministrit Berisha, i cili fushatën elektorale ne zyrën e tij e ka nisur me një platformë anti-korrupsion.
——————————————————
Ne origjinal.
Withers
C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000873
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS
REF: A. TIRANA 870
¶B. TIRANA 858
Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: After a long and contentious investigation,
prosecutors have forwarded the indictment of Foreign Minister
Lulzim Basha to the Supreme Court, which will rule on Basha’s
guilt or innocence (ref a). To make matters worse for Basha,
newspapers today printed lengthy excerpts from the
indictment, which was leaked to the press. Basha’s defense
has been further complicated by infighting within his
Democratic Party, with Basha’s opponents within the party
reluctant to come to his defense in hopes that his legal woes
will eliminate him as a potential political rival. END
SUMMARY.
Legal Troubles Only the Beginning
———————————
¶2. (C) Basha has not been accused of outright corruption.
Instead, he has been charged with “abuse of office” and for
violating “equal treatment in a tender process.” In essence,
Basha is being charged with negligent oversight and
misrepresenting the projected costs of the Durres-Kukes road
project while serving as Minister of Transportation –
negligence which allegedly resulted in vast cost overruns
totaling nearly 600 million euros. Basha’s defense team –
when not claiming that the charges are entirely politically
motivated – claims that the approval and oversight of the
road deal was a collective act by the Council of Ministers
and others within the Ministry of Transport (ref b).
Democratic Party Rivals Smell Blood
———————————–
¶3. (C) Basha’s legal troubles have been complicated by his
precarious position within the Democratic Party, with
political rivals such as Speaker of Parliament Josephina
Topalli looking on with barely-disguised glee. Other PD
officials such as Prime Minister Berisha have offered only
lukewarm defenses of Basha, while still using the claim that
the charges against Basha are politically motivated to
further attack the Prosecutor General. Arben Cici, President
Topi’s Diplomatic Advisor, told PolOff that Basha has little
to worry about from opposition parties – it’s his own DP,
Cici claimed, that is out to get Basha. Basha himself echoed
this in a nearly hysterical phone call to the DCM in
November, claiming that leaks to the media alleging ties
between Basha’s family and shady Bosnian businessman Damir
Fazlic were coming from his political rivals within the DP.
¶4. (C) COMMENT: It remains to be seen how much political
damage the indictment will do to Basha. His indictment is
certainly an embarrassment to Prime Minister Berisha, who
campaigned for office in 2005 on an anti-corruption platform.
Basha’s trial will probably begin in January and could drag
on for several months – potentially complicating Basha’s
candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the
meantime, there is no indication that Basha will resign or
get suspended pending the outcome of his trial.
