A Socialist MP’s claims that the speaker of parliament was plotting to kill him have added to the turbulent atmosphere of politics in Albania.
Gjergj Erebara BIRN Tirana
Tom Doshi. Photo: LSA
Tom Doshi, a businessman turned parliamentarian, lashed out on Monday against the speaker of parliament, Ilir Meta, accusing him of plotting to assassinate him and an opposition MP, Mhill Fufi, while accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of turning a blind eye to the plot.
Doshi’s inflammatory comments followed minutes after the ruling Socialist Party expelled him from their parliamentary group, after he threatened to declare “war” on the government.
Meta, is the head of the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, the junior partner in Rama’s government.
“Edi Rama has a pimp today, and this is Ilir Meta, who has ordered my assassination as well of Mhill Fufi,” Doshi said, after a meeting of the Socialist parliamentary group, adding that he had a video recording to back the alleged murder plot.
Monday’s statement was the culmination of a series of accusations and threats launched by Doshi against the government and Prime Minister Rama over the course of the past week.
The accusations prompted Rama to expel the rebel MP, despite threats by Doshi to publish damaging evidence that would “shake the foundations of the government”.
In a statement on Monday, Rama said Doshi’s statements violated all the basic norms of behavior inside the Socialist Party parliamentary group.
“With his accusation, Doshi has damaged the dignity of this parliamentary group and government,” Rama said.
“Because of this, I believe we should release him from the weight of being a member of the Socialist Party parliamentary group, so that he can take the legal path to prove his accusations against this government,” he added.
Reacting to the accusations through Spartak Braho, an LSI MP and the head of national security commission in parliament, Meta said he was aware of the allegations but Doshi was twisting the facts.
“A few months ago the speaker was informed by Doshi of an assassination plot being prepared against him and Mhill Fufi by the brother-in-law of former premier Sali Berisha,” Braho said in a statement.
According to Braho, after learning of the allegations, Meta notified the General Prosecutor and the Minister of Interior.
“We call on MP Doshi to turn over any video evidence to the police and the prosecutor’s office, in order to shed light on the allegations,” Braho added.
Doshi’s expulsion from the Socialist Party was welcomed by the US embassy in Tirana and the EU Delegation, which commented on his alleged criminal background.
“The United States welcomes the decision of the Socialist Party of Albania to expel Mr Tom Doshi, who is alleged to be involved in criminal activities,” the US embassy said in a statement.
“We encourage all political parties in Albania to remove individuals involved in criminal or corrupt activities and call upon the Prosecutor General of Albania to investigate and prosecute criminals and corrupt officials at all levels,” it added.
One of the richest MPs in parliament, Doshi heads a list of Albanian politicians indentified in a 2009 US embassy cable, leaked by WikiLeaks, entitled “lawbreakers turned lawmakers, as tied to organized crime”.
“Doshi, singled out in the Human Rights Report for physically assaulting a journalist in the Sheraton Hotel, was a key figure in financing SP [Socialist Party] electoral efforts,” the cable said.
“He is known as the richest MP, with a declared fortune of more than $15 million and is also suspected of trafficking narcotics,” it added.
In a statement in support of Rama’s move the EU Delegation underlined that targeting officials with a criminal record was a key element of an agreement between the ruling centre-left coalition and the opposition Democratic Party, which ended the opposition boycott of parliament.
“The EU supports steps that need to be taken for the comprehensive implementation of the agreement between governing and opposition parties in the Parliament… including the issue of individuals with criminal records who hold public positions,” the EU Delegation in Tirana said in a statement.
“The EU puts the highest priority on law enforcement and on the full implementation of the rule of law, including the fight against corruption and organized crime, which are key priorities for Albania,” it added.
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