US Slams Albania Govt on Blast Probe

Tirana _ The US ambassador in Tirana has condemned Albanian’s Premier and Parliament speaker for stalling a probe into the March 15 army depot blasts.

“The American government will view with disappointment and alarm any effort to subject this investigation to any outside influence whatsoever,” said John L. Withers after a meeting with Prosecutor General Ina Rama.

Parliamentary Speaker Jozefina Topalli has repeatedly delayed a decision to put to vote the immunity of former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, while Prime Minister Sali Berisha has remained silent on the issue, though formerly promising that no official of his government would hide behind parliamentary immunity.

Prosecutor General Ina Rama has asked parliament to lift Mediu's immunity. The former defence minister resigned from government in the days following the blasts which killed 26 people and left more than 300 injured.

“The violation of the laws and procedures of security and ammunition storage and the mismanagement of the disposal process caused the sparks that set off the massive explosions," Rama stated in her request for Mediu's immunity to be lifted.

She added that "a flagrant violation in this process has been the employment of children."

Rama accuses the former defence minister of abuse of power. As a member of parliament, however, he enjoys immunity from formal charges and cannot be formally placed under investigation.

“It is the Prosecutor General's constitutional duty, not that of any other body of government, to conduct her work without interference; and for this to take place, it is essential that Parliament immediately address the question of parliamentary immunity,” Withers said.

“The American government and people will be deeply concerned if any political faction, party, or leader makes statements or takes actions that in any way inject a political agenda into what must be an impartial and independent investigation based on the rule of law,” he added.