DP requests an urgent interpellation with the Prime Minister regarding the payment of 110 million euros to Becchetti

The Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party has requested an urgent interpellation with the Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding the execution of the payment of 110 million euros, which the Albanian state has repaid to the Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, Gazment Bardhi states that despite previous denials by Prime Minister Rama and former Minister of Finance Arben Ahmetaj, the legal processes undertaken by the Albanian government in international courts have not succeeded in changing the obligation for compensation. 

This amount was awarded to Becchetti and his partners as a result of the closure and destruction of Agonset television.

The media reported that in the second week of November, a Belgian bailiff executed the full amount through Albcontrol funds, which were blocked in Eurocontrol's accounts since December 2020. According to these reports, on November 12, 2024, Eurocontrol officially announced the Albanian government and Albcontrol for making the payment.

PD demands transparency on this issue and responsibility for the significant financial loss that, according to it, is burdening Albanian citizens.

Request

Ms. President of the Assembly,

In April 2021, Albanian public opinion became aware of the "Becchetti and others v. Albania" decision, taken by the Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes at the World Bank (ICSID), which had decided to award the claimant parties a compensation in the value of 110 million euros from the Republic of Albania, including interest and court costs.

This award was granted to the claimant parties Becchetti and others, as from the facts and evidence made available, ICSID has concluded that as a result of the illegal actions of high state officials, including Edi Rama, acting Prime Minister of Albania, Erion Veliaj , acting Mayor of Tirana and Úngjëll Agaci, acting Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, in cooperation with other officials of a lower rank such as Enkelejd Joti, acting as director of the "Mother Teresa" University Hospital Center (at that time), former general director of Top Channel, citizen Skerdi Drenova, acting as administrator of the Broadcast System Operator (at that time), former deputy general director of Top Channel and citizen Gentian Sala, chairman of the Audiovisual Media Authority (at the time), former director of Top Channel and Digitalb, Italian businessman Becchetti's ventures have been completely destroyed.

Specifically, ICSID, after examining the message sent on September 5, 2014, by Erion Veliaj, former Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, the conversation held at the beginning of 2014 with Úngjëll Agac, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, the status on Facebook of Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania and his statements in the media in June 2015, concluded that the decision of the seizure of Agonset was the finalization of a political campaign against the entrepreneur Becchetti and his partners. For ICSID it was clear that in this case we were not dealing with a regular legal process, but only with a politically motivated process, which aimed to close the television and destroy the enterprises of the Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti in Albania (see paragraph 724 of the decision).

Although Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Minister of Finance Arben Ahmetaj have continuously denied that Albania would pay compensation of 110 million euros to entrepreneur Becchetti and his partners, the processes initiated by the Albanian government at ICSID and other international tribunals did not reach produce no change, as regards the clear obligation of the Albanian state for the full payment of the financial bill for the closure and destruction of Agonset television. In the second week of November, the Albanian media widely reported that a Belgian bailiff had managed to execute the full value of the damage in favor of the Italian businessman through Albcontrol funds, which had been blocked in the Eurocontrol account since December 2020. According to media reports, on November 12, 2024, Eurocontrol has officially notified the Albanian government and the Albcontrol company for the full execution of the ICSID decision.

However, until the date of submission of this request, there has been no reaction or official position on the part of the Albanian government and the Albcontrol company regarding the veracity of the media reports and in terms of full transparency with Albanian taxpayers, who due to arbitrary and illegal actions carried out by high officials of the Albanian state, such as the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Tirana and the Secretary General of the government must settle the highest bill in the history of international arbitrations with parties the Albanian state. The government and the company Albcontrol have the duty to inform the Parliament of Albania, and through it the Albanian citizens, about the authenticity of this process, the responsibilities and the consequences of this high financial damage.

Therefore, bearing in mind the above, in the capacity of the chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, in support of Article 80 of the Constitution of Albania and Article 97 of the Rules of the Assembly, we request the development of an urgent interpellation with the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, in order to provide detailed information and explanations regarding the execution of the decision "Becchetti and others against Albania", of the Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).