TIRANA, September 22 – The Special Prosecutor’s Office has asked the Special Court against Organized Crime and Corruption to interrogate Shkelzen Berisha, the son of former prime minister Sali Berisha, as a witness in the trial of former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu for the Gërdec massacre of March 15, 2008.
Mediu is accused of “Misuse of duty” carried out in cooperation, and “Misuse of duty” in cooperation with a military subject-command cadre for the explosion in the weapons dismantling “factory” where at least 26 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured. The material damages were huge.
The request was presented on Friday to the Special Court, which held the hearing against the former Minister, Mediu after his withdrawal from the summary trial and the acceptance of the continuation of an ordinary judicial investigation, decision taken on 8 September 2023.
Under these conditions, the Prosecution presented the request for trial as well as the list of 71 witnesses whom it wants to call in court as witnesses.
Out of 71 witnesses on the SPAK list, including American citizens, 19 of them are the defendants of the first file for the Gërdec massacre.
Among the 19 witnesses are the businessman Mihal Delijorgji, then president of the “Albademil” company, Ylli Pinari, then director of the MEICO company and Dritan Minxholli, then the factory administrator, who were released from prison after serving the relevant sentences. The former Minister of Justice, Aldo Bumçi, has also been called to testify.
It is reported that the court process is expected to be long due to the large number of witnesses who are expected to appear in court.
Meanwhile, Mediu himself has demanded that 90 witnesses be questioned. Among them is the former US Deputy Secretary of Defense in the period 2006-2009, Gordon England, and the former Ministers of Defense of Germany and Italy.
The Special Court announced that the next hearing will be held on September 29. /argumentum.al
