Former Deputy Prime Minister on the run, Arben Ahmetaj, has reacted after the statements of Prime Minister Edi Rama, who came to the defense of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, for whom SPAK has requested the arrest.

Through a public reaction on "Facebook", Ahmetaj focused on the statements that Rama made during the meeting of the Socialist Party parliamentary group on Monday morning, where according to him, the prime minister also spoke about his case, claiming that there were "1001 black people" in it.

According to Ahmetaj, such a statement is made at a time when the case against him has not yet begun to be tried and the investigations have just been closed. He considers this a violation of the principle of the presumption of innocence.

"On Monday morning at the meeting of the Socialist Party parliamentary group, the Prime Minister, in an attempt to justify his positions, found time to talk about my case, claiming that there were '1001 black people' there. This statement is made at a time when the case has not yet begun to be tried and the investigations have just been closed," he says.

Ahmetaj emphasizes that such a public statement on a matter that concerns justice constitutes a clear violation of the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence.

He also considers it paradoxical, according to him, that the prime minister talks about respecting this principle, while – according to Ahmetaj – publicly violates it whenever it interests him politically.

"It is paradoxical to hear lectures on the presumption of innocence from the same Prime Minister, who does not hesitate to violate it publicly whenever it interests him politically, using it with double standards even within the same speech," the reaction states.

At the end of his statement, Ahmetaj emphasizes that the presumption of innocence is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, by international human rights charters and by applicable legislation.

According to him, the right to freedom of expression, even for the Prime Minister, cannot be used to violate this principle nor to exert pressure or influence on the decision-making of judicial bodies.

REACTION
On Monday morning at the meeting of the Socialist Party parliamentary group, the Prime Minister, in an attempt to justify his positions, found time to talk about my case, claiming that there were “1001 black people” in it. This statement is made at a time when the case has not yet begun to be tried and the investigations have just been closed.
Such a public statement, and on a matter that concerns justice, constitutes a clear violation of the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence.
It is paradoxical to hear lectures on the presumption of innocence from the same Prime Minister, who does not hesitate to violate it publicly whenever it interests him politically, using it with a double standard even within the same speech.
The presumption of innocence is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, by international human rights charters and by applicable legislation.
The right to freedom of expression for anyone, including the Prime Minister, cannot be used to violate the presumption of innocence nor to exert pressure or influence on the decision-making of judicial bodies.

RAME'S DECLARATION
"This is new evidence, which is not even new. And when I think that it is brought with this ease, in the Albanian Parliament, to demand the head of an elected official, after everything has been done to put 7 lashes not under the ground, but in the mud. Just imagine how a simple, defenseless person could eat the arrest warrant in the face. And when you see this, you understand concretely how many people in Albania eat it, how for the black face of the authors, such clashes with the heads of arrest warrants, Albania has become the black sheep of arrest, with many prisoners in detention. They live off the backs of others. Let's put it in once, because we have a recording, we have received some text messages. But what is an elected official? A head to take as a trophy in the Bazaar? After it has been mutilated and scarred.

The judge told the prosecutor about Ilir Beqaj, the referee. The player in front said; it was a goal. The referee said; there were two goals. The other referees said; there were 3 goals. Did the structured group fall? Yes, Ilir Beqaj. I didn't talk about it because there was no decision. After a pot was raised and boiled, I thought there was a structured group. Here the prosecutor is asking, the judge is running. But in our name, no! With our vote, no. Next time when they come to the Assembly to ask for immunity, because this is a misunderstanding, because there is no immunity against investigation and wiretapping, for any of us.

To raise our heads to take to prison, a deputy with these arguments? What are we, co-authors of the creation of the people of pre-trial detention in Albania? When they come to demand the lifting of immunity, they should come armed with evidence. As they came the first two times. For the first case they had evidence and for the second case, a mountain of arguments! A woman with two wives? to legitimize the extreme request, arrest without trial. Putting us, the socialist majority, who have given the soul to justice and the skin to independent justice, in absurd situations.

Do what you have to do…mmmm. Where has this political force been seen in the history of Europe. Open what my sister says about these things (Refers to Meloni). Let them investigate Balluk, put him on trial for equality in tenders 6 years ago, but let them not insult our intelligence by telling us that she is destroying evidence. She did not risk evidence even when she was a minister, and today that she is an MP is not even a question. It is a request related to the role of the minister. Then the court decides as it sees fit, it is an independent power," he said.