FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Albanian Parliament is expected to make a key decision on the fate of former Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku. The Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) has requested the lifting of her immunity as a member of parliament, but signals from the socialist majority indicate that such a request will not be voted on.
Security expert Ilir Kulla, in an interview for the show "Të Pashoj" on the "Pamflet" YouTube channel, said that this expected decision of the Socialist Party not to lift MP Balluku's immunity is within the logic of protecting the balance of powers. However, Kulla stressed that this debate comes "too late", as the issue of immunities should have been addressed with the 2016 justice reform. However, he adds that despite the Parliament's decision, it is considered that Balluku's return to her government position is practically impossible.
Kulla emphasized that the immunity of the deputy is a constitutional right and, according to analysts, it should be protected for every legislator, as was the case with Sali Berisha or Arben Ahmetaj, regardless of political affiliation.
Excerpt from the interview:
-On March 5, an important decision is expected from the plenary session in the parliament regarding the fate of the government's number two, Belinda Balluku. Of course, the opposition has long stated that it wants her immunity lifted, but the Socialist Party has given clear signs these hours that it will not vote for such a thing.
Ilir Kulla : It's within the logic of things. Uh. uh but it's too late.
-Why late?
Ilir Kulla : Too late. This was done 10 years ago. Even if it wasn't, it would have happened anyway and it is logical that immunities exist precisely to preserve the balance of powers. But uh, this should have been foreseen in 2016, when they made that famous justice reform, even when you remember that everyone was so confused, everyone was so euphoric that. Now, it's already too late, they will simply postpone it for some more time because that lady in the government office can't return. What will she do, that is, how will they do this? Uh, she will be a deputy and it is within her right to protect herself with the immunity of a deputy because it is constitutional immunity. But her problem is with justice. I mean, I am, am and have been against pre-trial detention as a repressive form. So whoever it is.
I said it to Veliaj, to Metaj, to everyone. The problem is that they remembered it very late, they remembered it when they came to, when they entered the courtyard of the prime minister's office. So, they will make a decision, which is actually a quarter of a decision, because it is not even a decision at all. A decision that will tell the prosecution, continue the investigations, continue the work. Meanwhile, from all those people who are in the file and others, that is, and from others who will be included in the file because with what the prosecution said with threats and others and others, it seems that there are many other people who are, have been under surveillance, charges will be filed there. Only this lady has immunity, the others are all without immunity and they can detain them whenever they want, in one form or another.
-Now, an unusual detail was noticed, it must be said that it was unprecedented that the special prosecution made, gave the pretense for Balluk in the assembly.
Ilir Kulla : He didn't give the pretense. The special prosecution said, when we came here, we said, with the charges that were, he said, until then it could go up to 10 years at most, that this is the penal code that you have made. With the things that have happened, he said, in the meantime, he said, from October until we are at the end of February now, things have expanded so much and they have given arguments, I don't know exactly what. Since they are secret documents, but they said, that is, if today he were to go with these charges, he could go to one, with charges that go up to 35 years in prison. So what did the prosecution let us understand? That the investigations have been expanded with charges of criminal organization, witness intimidation, and who knows what other charges they may have inside. So we are no longer at the initial phase when we had the inequality in the tenders. We have gone too deep. That's why I say that this process protects the immunity of MP Balluku and in my opinion it should protect the immunity of the MP, whoever he is, that was the case for Sali Berisha, when they removed it, and for Arben Ahmetaj. That's why I say it's too late for this, it should have been done earlier. But in the meantime, in the investigative process, things have moved forward, they have nothing more to defend.
Lini një Përgjigje