Albania, Republic of Mafia

Is this country allowed to enter the EU? Albania wants it, Brussels has nothing against- and Germany supports in principle the opening of accession negotiations with the Balkan state, witnessing to it great progress in democratisation.

But actually, the country is sinking into chaos, it is at a crossroads: either on the road to democratic conditions -- or ultimately as a mafia republic.

Albania - This Drug Basion in Europe!

Massive protests every week, police and prosecutors leaving the country -- a corrupt police leadership without the Constitutional Court -- without the functional Supreme Court- Albania is in a major crisis, despite some advances in tourism.

One of the reasons, which has put the measures on the streets: allegations that Prime Minister Edi Rama's government has bought votes massively - with the help and money of the drug mafia, which dominates the country. Since Edi Rama took office, marijuana cultivation has spread throughout the country -- becoming the country's main industry in addition to drug trafficking.

And the drug money is ruling the country!

When Bild '%s' recently reported on a wiretapped transcript, in which Prime Minister Edi Rama asks a local election official if things have gone as well as arranged, the government became angry: "Bild" is a shopping paper, claims (that are actually based on the documents of Albanian and Western European investigators) are completely groundless. Albanian investigators also confirm the authenticity of the calls.

But now Bild brings you phone surveillance, showing how prior to the 2017 elections, a notorious drug baron buys votes for Rama's Socialist Party. He ensures that a particular politician enters parliament. We're showing them six concrete wiretappings.

The hearings are part of an Albanian police investigation of the so-called "Doja 339/1ʹ." The abundant documents were obtained by Albanian investigators prior to the 2017 parliamentary elections. And since then they're mostly locked in files- parts of it can't be deleted.

According to investigators, this is just an exotic fragment of a complex set of records that were collected during the months of 2017.

The concrete case is just one of dozens throughout Albania. Most of them are still under the carpet. Investigators working on these cases have either been silent or have fled abroad.

The drug baron in question: Astrophyt Avdylaj- according to investigators, the leader of a gang of at least 44 people, which organises the international drug trade (Cocaine and heroin) in the region around the port city of Durres. He and his brothers lead the gang from the small town of Shijak.

It is worth the effort: several months after the elections, he was arrested during international investigations, along with other clan members and two brothers. He himself is again at freedom- reportedly depressed and that staying in prison for him was impossible.

The hearings show how the mafia ensures that a particular politician becomes Socialist Party candidate. They then make sure that this politician of Rama's ruling party is elected. Investigations include: Socialist Mayor of Durres, the second largest city in Albania.

In surveillance you can hear how the mafia boss agrees with local politicians, with his native mayor and the large town of Durres, to appoint a candidate for the Socialist Party and buy and organise votes for him. In a wiretap, the water pipeline chief receives a call from the drug mafia to ensure that his staff votes for Edi Rama's Socialist Party and candidates.

Durres and the other port city of Vlora are crucial to the mafia: According to investigators, through these ports in Albania comes cocaine and heroin. From there, drugs -- including increased cannabis across Albania -- are smuggled into Italy and northern and Central Europe. Proceeds: huge.

And they have to make sure. As former Justice Minister Ylli Manjani said to Bild, there is a pact between politics and the mafia in Albania: Politics secures business, the mafia brings votes; the mafia invests drug money in real estate, politicians take a blind eye to money laundering and drug trafficking. And in Albania's clan system, even marijuana farmers, who grow plants for bosses, are happy voters if the government provides them with their drug wages.

All of this is not unusual in many Balkan states, even among Rama's predecessors in Albania- but the system perfected as a nationwide programme under Rama. Two former interior ministers are already on the run. Both were suspected of being part of the drug gangs. Currently under indictment is former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri. And Rama and his team have traditionally denied the demand to take the drug test before the elections.

Rama and his connections to the drug mafia

Rama is also considered a man of close connections to the drug mafia -- Western investigators and the Albanian opposition accuse him of buying votes with drug money.

The registration of a call must prove this: Rama phoned the leaders of a regional election commission on September 11th, asking if everything went to the polls like that '%sic was discussed. Commission head response: “Po, chief, as discussed”.

Former Justice Minister Manjani, a respected law professor, says of Bild: Various international organisations have confirmed there has been mass vote buying.

The former minister then sees a joint project of Rama and the mafia: The government protects the Mafia and allows their drug business. In exchange, gangs and clans buy votes for the government.

Rama denies all: Looks like the victim of a conspiracy. It's just: These records, made by his investigators, he could not clear this world.