The TNT explosion at the house of the President of the Albanian Football Association (AFA), Armand Duka in Durres on Monday night has caused mixed reaction on the Albanian political scene while police said there were no injured persons besides some damages at the gate.
The incident occurred some hours after AFA held a press conference accusing Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj of making efforts to intervene in the election of the Tirana Football Association and AFA in general. There is a harsh conflict between the majority and Duka and his supporters to put under control the leading football bodies in Albania. Such a conflict has passed the borders of this Balkan country and there is plenty of evidence that it is a fight for huge profits.
A wiretapping released by AFA has spread rapidly as it shows Mayor Veliaj asking to vote for Eduard Prodani and using dirty words. He went that far shouting that not UEFA nor FIFA, but even if Jesus and Mohamed come here they will not stop his war which aims at having elected his pick up.
It is not clear if the religious communities have reacted against the use of the names of Jesus and Mohammed against the background of a dirty political fight.
“Football is the only island we do not control yet,” said Veliaj.As a political figure involved in the conflict, Mayor Erion Veliaj was quick to react saying that despite the clashes he has with Duka, the latter remains his opponent and not the enemy. Among other things, Veliaj added to MCN that law enforcement institutions should do their job while calling on the police and the prosecution to investigate the event and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The police, the prosecution and the cameras are urgently needed, everyone’s life must be secured. He is my opponent, not my enemy. He has committed many sins, but this is a punishable criminal act,”said Veliaj.
A strong denouncement was made by President Ilir Meta who called it a ‘terrorist act’ against the family of the President of the Albanian Football Federation, Armand Duka.
Duka’s wife and son were at home when the explosion blasted.
“I call on all law enforcement institutions to probe with transparency into this very serious event. Such a criminal act, following verbal violence, blackmail and public pressure, adds to the urgency of stopping and bringing to justice the perpetrators as soon as possible,” said the head of state.
In the meantime, it has been announced that the Prosecution of Tirana District has launched a probe into AFA President Armand Duka under charges of ‘abuse of office’ and ‘stealth and abuse of office’. The lawsuit dates back to November 2021.
This is another scandal adding to numerous ongoing cases and it burst out at such proportions when Transparency International ranked Albania as one of the most corrupt countries in Europe. / Argumentum.al
