SPAK dismisses Sali Berisha’s claims PM’s brother’s alleged cocaine trafficking links
SPAK has rejected claims made by Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, who alleged that an anonymous letter signed under the name of anti-fascist martyr Zaho Koka had been sent to the Special Prosecution office. According to Berisha, the letter contained crucial authentic documents implicating the Prime Minister’s brother, Olsi Rama, in the Xibraka cocaine trafficking case.
Why is this important: Berisha’s repeated reliance on unverified accusations and sources he claims originate from social media “digital informants” has eroded his credibility as a politician. With SPAK’s official rebuttal of his claims, the leader of Albania’s largest opposition party—who aspires to become Prime Minister in the May 11 elections—has further tarnished his reputation and labeled himself as a source of disinformation.
What did Berisha say: “Zaho Koka is the case that has arrived here for Olsi Rama and the Rama clan. It contains authentic, highly important documents that fully incriminate this clan. They think they can hide it, but it’s futile because these things always exist in multiple copies. Denouncing crime for Sali Berisha knows no limits. SPAK has been covering up these crimes for years in the most criminal way possible,” Berisha said outside SPAK.
What did SPAK Chief Dumani say: “In light of the media declarations, the head of SPAK, Mr. Altin Dumani, on January 13, 2025, addressed the director of the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) via an official memo to conduct necessary verifications. He asked whether any letter from the individual named Zaho Koka, containing information about Olsi Rama or the alleged kidnapping of a businessman with the initials V.B., had been submitted to BKH.
In the memo, Mr. Dumani requested clarification on whether such information had been registered, assigned to any BKH investigator, or verified, as well as details of the outcomes of such verifications. On January 14, 2025, the Director of BKH responded officially, stating:
‘Following verifications conducted within the Secretariat and Protocol department, it has been confirmed that no letter, report, or complaint has been received by BKH from the individual purportedly named Zaho Koka.’”
Context: On January 10, SPAK concluded its investigation into the Xibraka cocaine laboratory case, originally uncovered in 2015. It stated that no evidence was found implicating Prime Minister Edi Rama’s brother, Olsi Rama, in the case. The investigation had been reopened after Democratic Party MP Gazment Bardhi requested SPAK to verify alleged connections between Olsi Rama and the Xibraka case.
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