Former President Ilir Meta made strong statements during today’s session at the Special Court, where he is being tried in the case against him.
Former President Meta denied his involvement in the finances of the Party of Freedom (former LSI), claiming that responsibility for these matters belonged to the party’s secretariat or leadership.
He also addressed the lobbying issue, stating that the only time he intervened politically, but not financially, was the advance payment of 15,000 dollars, which he said was carried out legally and by leadership decision.
Ilir Meta’s statement at GJKKO:
“I am not surprised that they are bringing charges even for a conspiracy to murder Kennedy with these manipulations. The agreement was between two entities, GSIS-Unifi. The chairman of LSI acts according to the laws. The chairman had nothing to do with finances; the secretariat or the party leadership handled them. Even less so for lobbying, not a single expense. If there is someone who knows this better, it is Mr. Kllapi. Condolences for the loss of his mother, I learned of it from the media. Kllapi knows well, we met before I was arrested.
The only documented instance in which I intervened politically, not financially, is the legal payment of 15,000 dollars as an advance. This was done by leadership decision. I will not go into other fairy tales. They were dictated by Yuri Kim, a sworn enemy of Albania serving Serbia.
If the prosecutor is right to announce that I made payments, I did not make them, because I have no relationship with Shatku, or with anyone else. The lady has the right to defend herself. She will bear that responsibility. I do not know which court SPAK referred to, but for two years information from GSIS about LSI has been blocked.
Does that court know that I was threatened as President of the Republic by five representatives of foreign embassies, so that Marsida Xhaferllari would not be at the Constitutional Court, but rather Arta Vorpsi, from Lana’s side?
That court does not know that I left today at my own expense for the USA, if they have anything on me. In the USA, Maduro was also arrested on an arrest warrant. This seriously concerns Albanian-American relations. I have carried out every action through the lady. The contract is very specific, everything is verifiable.
The prosecution’s claim that a house was bought, supposedly a message from 28 June 2009 in which I said I have a message with Mr. Ismaili from 22 June, but the judicial police officer drew up the record on 28 June. “We meet tomorrow, I definitely need 200 thousand.” No such message exists. Why did he draw up the record on the 28th at night? Because on 29 June there were elections and he thought his party would win. DIA was registered in Albania after 14 months. The prosecution is fixated on the 200 thousand. I ask the prosecution to contact the DIA in Washington, send a written request.”