Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted for the first time to the action of the State Police in the mujahedin camp a few weeks ago by order of the GJKKO. In an interview with the German media, Der Spiegel, he said that the Mujahideen cannot use Albania to fight against the Iranian regime.
SPIEGEL : Mr. Rama, last week the security forces near Tirana carried out an operation in the Iranian MEK camp. Why?
Rama: We have had the MEK in our country for several years. They are welcome, but on the condition that they do not use Albania as a platform for their political operations. Our Iranian guests have repeatedly violated this agreement.
SPIEGEL: Government computers in Tehran have been hacked and sensitive documents circulated. About 100 PCs and dozens of hard drives are said to have been confiscated now. Can you confirm this?
Rama : Albania has no intention of being at war with the Iranian regime. Albania does not accept anyone who has abused our hospitality.
Spiegel: Why did you agree to the request of US President Barack Obama in 2016 to accept thousands of Mujahideen?
Rama: It was a life-saving operation. We opened our doors because the group, then operating from Iraq, was systematically followed. And if a friend like the US asks us for something, we feel honored.
SPIEGEL : If you were MEK, would you prefer to leave?
Rama: We understand the anger against the regime in their country. But our country is used as a trench in a war that is not ours, it does not work! Of course, they have every right to fight for their freedom, but to do so they must leave Albania.
Control in the MEK camp
On June 20, 2023, by order of SPAK also signed by GJKKO, the state police undertook the control action in the Ashraf 3 camp, in Manzë, where nearly 2500 members of the MEK organization, the mujahedin of the Iranian people, are housed. The controls were undertaken due to an investigation launched into cyber attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran at different periods of time as well as against the institutions of the Iranian state. During the search, the police encountered resistance and confrontation with MEK members. 15 policemen were injured and several members of the camp, while a 78-year-old man lost his life. The Mujahideen said that his death was caused by the police, but they denied that they used violence. The Durrës Prosecutor’s Office is waiting for the autopsy and the response to the toxicological tests.
In the investigation for war provocation
During the control, numerous computer equipment were found in 17 buildings, which were seized. SPAK’s investigations against members of the MEK organization in Albania have started since May 18, 2023 for the criminal offenses “provocation of war”, “illegal interception of computer data”, “interference with computer data”, “misuse of equipment
DASH and American Ambassador Yuri Kim also supported the actions of the police in Camp Ashraf 3. On June 21, Ambassador Kim said that guests of a country must respect the established rules and that it was within Albania’s right to decide whether to expel them or not.
On June 23, Defense Minister Niko Peleshi declared that the creation of islands where laws would be violated would not be tolerated. Meanwhile, the police control the entrances and exits to the Mujahideen camp.
The Albanian Shqiptarja.com – translated by Nejat Society