Petro Koçi: The White Group and the Reestablishment of the Four Hyenas, communism was de facto overthrown in '97, that's why today the opposition must demolish the living bust of Sali Berisha

The deputy of the Socialist Party, Petro Koçi, has commented on the political situation in the country. During an interview for "SOT" newspaper, Mr. Koçi also spoke about the war in Kosovo, the help with weapons in those years from Albania and his most difficult moment as the Minister of the Interior (Order), in that period? Also, Koçi spoke about the messages conveyed by the unexpected visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken a few days ago. He said that the visit of the high-ranking US official had Albania at its epicenter. On the other hand, according to Mr. Koçi, NATO may need the base of Kuçova to become a base, or even the training will be used to train military personnel of NATO countries, but also of partner countries, as is the case of Ukraine. Further, during the interview with the editor-in-chief of the "SOT" newspaper, Mr. Rigels Seliman, he emphasized that Bardhi's group and Rithemelimi are four hyenas, while he underlined that de facto communism was overthrown in 1997 and showed why today the opposition must collapse the living bust of Berisha.

- Mr. Koçi, a lot of time has actually passed since the war in Kosovo, what do you remember from that time?

 In fact, anyone who would be in our functions would do the task at the right height as required by the moment and the intensity of the events that were taking place. We had contacts with KLA. I believe we provided a great help and saved many people's lives and helped with the treatment of the wounded. NATO's intervention was vital and fundamental. I once had to make a KLA communiqué myself. I should have done it, you remember the moment when our embassy was attacked in Belgrade, during the war and in Albania, while there were thousands of Kosovar Albanians and a protest was announced at the Yugoslav embassy. I spoke with the political headquarters of the KLA and I told them please broadcast a communique where you ask people not to have acts of violence and they told me to make a communiqué yourself and that communiqué actually came from the fax machine of the Ministry of the Interior of Albania and it is broadcasted on all the televisions all day and that protest went great. There was no violence and I was spared a great nightmare. Our approach was a Euro-Atlantic approach and it is understood that some institutions of the American state were involved in this issue. Without Clinton, you could not intervene in the former Yugoslavia, that is, without his approval. The CIA and other departments were also involved. Until a certain moment, the KLA was considered as a not exactly liberating organization, there have been some misunderstandings regarding its origin. But, over time, things changed and it became a Euro-Atlantic partner. Even that meeting between Nano and Milosevic is not without international approval.

-How was aid with weapons done in those years from Albania to Kosovo, what role did the Ministry of Public Order play in those years?

Ishin të përfshira shumë segmente edhe të huaja edhe partner të rëndësishëm të shqiptarëve, dhe ka qenë kujdesi që këto procese të mos kualifikoheshin si vepra penale. Në këtë kuptim edhe roli i policisë ka qenë parësor, roli i policisë akoma nuk s’është njohur ashtu si duhet. Në atë kohë kur filloj ardhja e vëllezërve kosovarë brenda kufinjve të vendit ka qenë mundësia e akteve, sepse në të gjitha ato dyndje të tjerat ishin të pakontrolluara dhe ne kishim drojën se mund të kishte element të shërbimeve sekrete serbe dhe morëm masa. Janë marrë masa sa më të larta, në bashkëpunim ehe me Shërbimin Informativ dhe duhet që ta njoh mirë rolin që ka pasur Fatos Klosi në krye të atij shërbimi. Unë mendoj se Shqipëria ka bërë detyrën në lartasin e duhur dhe sigurisht merita është edhe e kryeministrit në atë kohë dhe e të gjithë atyre të tjerëve që janë përmendur shpesh. Unë nuk dua që ta teproj me modestinë, por besoj se çdo kush që do kishte qenë në vendin tonë do të bënte maksimumin, sepse këto janë ngjarje që nuk ndodhin çdo ditë, por ndodhin vetëm një herë në jetë. Ka qenë një kohë e vështirë sepse ne kemi ardhur në pushtet pas përpjekjeve për grusht shteti në ’98 dhe në atë vit është aprovuar edhe Kushtetuta. Sfida më e madhe është përballimi i krizë së Kosovës që erdhi edhe në Shqipëri.

-Cili ka qenë momenti më i vështirë për ju si ministër i Brendshëm (Rendit), në atë periudhë?

Ka qenë dita kur do të bëhej protesta në Tiranë, sepse ai akt që ndodhi pra sulmi ndaj ambasadës tonë mund të përdorej edhe nga opozita e kohës, që bënte protesta çdo ditë dhe thoshte kjo është qeveri, tradhtare, hajdute dhe komuniste. Ai moment ka qenë më i vështiri për mua. Shkoj një ditë tek stadiumi Qemal Stafa në një kafe aty dhe shoh që aty ishte edhe Hashim Thaçi dhe i them kamerierit që thuaj që është edhe ministri i Rendit këtu. Në fakt edhe jam acaruar pak sepse prezenca e tij në Shqipëri duhet që të ishte një informacion që unë si ministër duhet që ta kisha ditur. Sepse mund të rrezikonte shumë. Ai i tha kamerierit nuk jam Hashim Thaçi dhe doli edhe iku, pastaj këtë incident ma tha kur më dedikoj urdhrin e pavarësisë tek hotel Tirana.

-Do doja të na bënit edhe një analizë të vizitës së sekretarit Amerikan të Shtetit Antony Blinken në Tiranë pak ditë më parë?

Blinken's visit had Albania at its epicenter. On that day when he came, the American ambassador came to Kosovo and spoke about the internal affairs there. It seemed that Blinken did not want to get involved in the problems that Kosovo's relationship has with the United States of America. All the attention was on the role of Albania. Even if he would not have held a conference, the very fact that he came to Albania at a time when the world is on fire, when Ukraine is at war, as well as tensions in Gaza and coming to Albania does not need much comment. This shows the great attention that American policy has towards Albania, because we are the main factor of peace and stability of peace in the Western Balkans. There were messages about the functioning of the rule of law and they considered the prime minister to be excellent, which is an appreciation. This shows that our government and the prime minister knew how to be very far-sighted. However, it is not only the prime minister who benefits from this, because Albania benefits here. Even this agreement made with Italy for immigrants is not beneficial for the government, but for the Albanians, for the name of the country in the EU. Solidarity to help illegal immigration has often been lacking in the EU, and this solidarity of a small country, such as ours, obviously shows something big.

- The Ku?ova base will be opened very soon, it has been said that it will serve to train Ukrainian pilots?

It is a NATO base, but it also serves as an operational base. Whenever NATO may need it to become a base, or even training, it will be used to train military personnel of NATO countries, but also of partner countries, as is the case of Ukraine. In the case of Ukraine, we have proven that we remain in the first trench.

- The NATO base in Kuçovo, the port of Durrës, what does this bring to the country?

Let's not forget two big investments, which are the airspace control center that was made with the investment of the country's government and with the solidarity of the USA. Also, the donation of Black Hwak helicopters. The creation of a NATO infrastructure would further strengthen the country's role in the region.  

- The opposition protested two days ago, do you have a comment?

If communism was overthrown in '91, de facto it was overthrown in 1997 and the figure, the bust of Enver Hoxha was replaced by the living bust of Berisha. If the opposition will make a protest about the busts being taken down, I will have to take down the living bust of Berisha once. I say they should take that bust down first. A group of them have turned into a group of hyenas that move from one group to another.

Interviewed by: Rigels Seliman