Interior Minister gives explanation on police operation in ASHRAF Camp, says humanitarian agreement violated by MEK Group

TIRANA, June 20 – The Ministry of the Interior announced on Tuesday that a police operation was carried out in the Mujahideen camp in Manzë, following the order of the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) and the decision of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO). According to the announcement, the operation is the result of actions that clearly contradict the agreement and commitments made by the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) group since 2014, when they were deployed in Albania only for humanitarian purposes.

The announcement said that the intervention of the State Police was in accordance with the law and in correct implementation of the procedures that require such operations.

According to the Ministry, this group has not adhered to the commitments breaking the humanitarian agreement, and unfortunately there has been resistance to the performance of the work of the State Police within the camp, which contradicts the procedural framework of law enforcement.

“Based on the data of the State Police, there was no loss of life or injuries during the operation. For every claim for loss of life, all procedural verifications are being made in the hospital of their place of residence,” the Ministry of the Interior clarified in its announcement.

In the meantime, the Minister of the Interior, Bledi Çuçi, declared that the humanitarian agreement with the MEK organization will continue, while clarifying that the actions they took on Tuesday showed that MEK group are not ready to implement the laws in Albania.

In addition he said that the prosecution has started several criminal cases for this. It is the beginning of a criminal investigation; the prosecution is investigating for violations of the law.

“They have done political activities, they have published political newspapers, it has been the subject of discussion in the conversations we have had with them,” said the minister.

According to him, the MEK’s declaration of violence should be withdrawn because there was no violence.

Asked about coordination with international partners before and after the operation that took place on Tuesday in the MEK camp, Minister Çuçi said that “we are an independent state, and when there is a court decision, it does not consult with anyone in the world. It is a decision that must be implemented and the law enforcement bodies go and implement the court’s decision.” /argumentum.al