By Peter Tase
When Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and his associates took the helm of Albania’s government back in September 2013, no one would have thought that Tirana’s fervent renaissance movement, led by George Soros’ apprentices, would turn what natives call “land of eagles” into a place where instead cawing seagulls would be pecking at bags filled with marijuana on the shores of Durres, Albania’s port on the Adriatic, while waiting for shipment abroad by air or by sea.
Thanks to George Soros’ strategic financial interests in the marijuana plantations across the country over the last four years, Albania’s internal security situation has rapidly deteriorated and the frequency of bank robberies is reaching record levels. Meanwhile, the country’s lawmakers – who happen to be Mr. Soros’ creatures – have amassed huge fortunes through human trafficking, narcotics, and money laundering enterprises.
The recent changes in Rama’s socialist government demonstrate once again that Tirana is unwilling to make any moves that will jeopardize the marijuana shipping routes from Albania to Italy and the rest of Europe. Relieving Sajmir Tahiri (Rama’s obedient Minister of Interior) with Fatmir Xhafaj (whose brother is facing drug trafficking charges from the Venezuelan Court of Justice), shows once again Rama’s deeply rooted ties to drug-trafficking gangs and money laundering barons in Europe and beyond, while keeping close ties with billionaire Soros and his associates.
Mr. Soros’ influence during the years of the Obama administration in favor of Rama dates back in 2011, when Soros urged the then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take further action in response to violent demonstrations that were taking place in Albania. Mr. Soros urged her to “bring the full weight of the international community to bear on Prime Minister Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama.” The Hungarian born mogul stated: “…While I am concerned about the rhetoric being used by both sides, I am particularly worried about the actions of the Prime Minister.” At that time Mr. Sali Berisha was the Prime Minister of Albania and Mr. Rama was the leader of Albanian opposition.
Dr. Berisha, in an exclusive interview with Speronews, on March 29th, stated that “the massive drug trade led by Edi Rama, Fatmir Xhafaj, and other key associates, while receiving orders from Mr. Soros, across the Atlantic, can be experienced and felt in every village and city of Albania. In these early days of spring, Ediscobar or Albania’s Pablo Escobar [drawing a comparison of Rama to Colombia’s notorious drug lord] presented to all Albanians a special gift, and that is drugs, drugs and young men and women drowned in the sea.” Dr. Berisha refers to the numerous boat incidents that have occurred in the Otranto Channel over the last years, where young Albanians have lost their lives while transporting narcotics from Albania to the shores of Italy.
In addition, Dr. Berisha stated that “bandits have been named to key positions in ‘Banditistan’ Albania, Mr. Xhevahir Ndoka, the brother of Arben Ndoka (a member of Albania’s parliament who has a criminal record) has been nominated to serve in a key government position even though the former is also condemned in Italy for leading an armed robbery.”
Albania, a NATO member country, is run by parliamentarians and ministers with tarnished records. For Lulzim Basha, a former mayor of Tirana and current leader of Albania’s free-market opposition Democratic Party, Tirana is run by: “People that are sentenced for human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering and with premeditated murder with a firearm, and all of them are serving under the full confidence of Mr. Rama.”
Quoted by Breitbart News, Basha said, “Albania’s challenges today are to remove criminals from parliament and key public administration positions; offer free and fair elections and bring hope back to our country. It is certain that the wealth generated by the four-year-long drug trade, run by these oligarchs, will distort the elections results and the will of Albanian voters, as they did in 2015, by purchasing votes and by threatening constituents on who to vote for.”
According to Breitbart News, Basha believes that Rama is Soros’ primary investment, not only in Albania, but in the rest of the Balkans. Rama claims that his support for President Donald Trump, as well as his personal attacks on Soros, have brought smears in international media from Soros’ organization.
Faced with such a grim situation, Albania is at a crossroads: it is less than three months away from a general election, in an elections process that is expected to be marred by drug violence, bank robberies, bribery in exchange of votes, and distorted elections results.
Although the U.S. State Department is temporarily understaffed, it ought to pay more attention towards a nation where pro-American sentiments have continuously been among the highest in the world for over two decades. Tirana will hold general elections less than three months from now, and unless Washington keeps a keen eye on Tirana, George Soros’ seagulls will continue to pick candidates at every ballot box in the country.
Spero News columnist Peter Tase is a native of Albania who comments on diplomacy and international business.
