TIRANA, September 30 – Prime Minister Edi Rama is determined to go ahead with his controversial idea of a full fiscal amnesty. It is a project that envisages that any individual who qualifies after a process similar to vetting can put up to 2 million euros in Albanian banks.
“The fiscal amnesty will take place, I have said it and I repeat it. Why will it be done? Because the vast majority of Albanians demand fiscal amnesty. I am here elected by the Albanians, I do not represent any other country, nor am I here as an expression of the will of any other people, to be very clear,” said Rama last Wednesday.
A day later (Thursday), the prime minister did not attend the meeting with foreign ambassadors, a meeting during which the number two of the Socialist Party, Taulant Balla and the Minister of Finance tried to soften the high international skepticism towards this initiative. The US ambassador was also absent from the meeting, but on Thursday evening Yuri Kim was clear about Washington’s stance in front of the Albanian government’s initiative regarding the amnesty.
According to her, if things go in the direction of approving the initiative, Albania’s membership in the EU will be put at risk. “I think that Albania has a bad reputation. We have discussed this in public, in private, and it is included in our reports. There is no surprise when it comes to the opinion of the United States on these issues”.
Kim also dwelt at length on the relations with the DP chairman, Sali Berisha and other politicians, expressed her regret for the dismissals of top police office, Gledis Nano, who had the support of the US. She said the US did not expect Nano’s dismissal.
/Argumentum.al
