{"id":17072,"date":"2021-07-08T19:07:18","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T17:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=17072"},"modified":"2021-07-08T20:12:40","modified_gmt":"2021-07-08T18:12:40","slug":"well-be-summoned-from-spak-wiretap-recording-that-took-lushnje-mayor-behind-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/well-be-summoned-from-spak-wiretap-recording-that-took-lushnje-mayor-behind-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe\u2019ll be summoned from SPAK\u201d, the wiretap recording that took Lushnje Mayor behind bars"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe will be summoned from SPAK\u201d; This was one of the comments made by one of Lushnje\u2019s municipal employees, as soon as he learned that SPAK had launched an investigation. Euronews Albania secured the complete investigation folder, where one of the municipality\u2019s officials states that he was in a meeting where they were advised how to respond to prosecutors.<\/p>\n

A segment from the transcript of the wiretap recording:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: There is a cop that brought some paperwork in as people that might have knowledge.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 2<\/strong>: Who else will be summoned?<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: Me, Ilva, and the engineer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 2<\/strong>: Why her?<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: She is one of the units. Yes, yes, but must go to Tirana.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 2<\/strong>: You?<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: Us three that we\u2019ve been called as persons that might be holding information, on Wednesday 11 AM at SPAK, I just don\u2019t feel good about it, but I don\u2019t have anything, I am at peace with the work I\u2019ve done.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: They said not to worry, and not discuss it with our families in order not to worry them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 2<\/strong>: Who said that?<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: The director, and that friend of yours.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 2<\/strong>: Well, good then.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: We had like 20 meetings about to presumably say there.<\/em><\/p>\n

Worker 1<\/strong>: Fatosi is coming out as a guarantor, guaranteed that.<\/em><\/p>\n

Among the people recorded were also two businessmen discussing a corruptive affair over a tender on the rehabilitation of an irrigation channel. The two are cousins and also friends of the city\u2019s mayor, Fatos Tushe, as well as one of the directors at the municipality, Flamur Peqini.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim Lami<\/strong>: I have two short questions. Should I call you on WhatsApp or here as it\u2019s not a big deal \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Bujar Murati<\/strong>: No go ahead and talk as we can say what we want about work.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ibrahim Lami<\/strong>: How is the contract between you and me going to be?<\/em><\/p>\n

Bujar\u00a0Murati<\/strong>: We\u2019ll do a subcontracting as we\u2019ve agreed to, you cut for me, and I make a cut for the state.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ibrahim Lami<\/strong>: All right \u2026 so they release the receipt in my name?<\/em><\/p>\n

Bujar\u00a0Murati<\/strong>: Those from the waste. Yes, they\u2019ll cut it in your name \u2026 nothing bad even if they cut it under my name cause a friend can help us \u2026 but you take it as if you\u2019re working yourself \u2026 do you understand? Cause you can get it and justify your VAT and then pass it to me.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ibrahim Lami<\/strong>: Next question<\/em><\/p>\n

Bujar\u00a0Murati:<\/strong>\u00a0I need a signature, as I will sign it and seal it (We will do the contract like we agreed and then fire up cuz\u2019)<\/em><\/p>\n

Apart from the tender and wiretap recordings from SPAK, several other irregularities directly involving the Lushnje mayor were recorded, including him intervening to consent to the construction of a building lacking the necessary legal paperwork.<\/p>\n

Fatos Tushe<\/strong>: Ok, ok, tell him that you spoke with the mayor, and the telephone \u2026 I think I even told you \u2026 this phone is not for this sort of communications, hit the street, Shegas is very close and come and tell me in person. The phone is not for these types of discussions.<\/em><\/p>\n

I.B<\/strong>: Okay, okay<\/em><\/p>\n

Eleven of the detained appeared today in front of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. SPAK sought a jail sentence for seven of the arrested, including the Mayor of Lushnje, while for the remaining four it sought a more lenient sentence.<\/p>\n

The city officials are accused of several offenses, including forging documentation, violating parity rules in tender races. According to SPAK, the suspects have cooperated to favor a company for the rehabilitation of an irrigation channel in Lushnje worth 24 million Albanian Lek.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Tushe was discharged from the post of the mayor.<\/p>\n

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