By Boldnews.al
For days, the media reported on the loss of the Albanian state in the international arbitrage in front of Italian businessman Francesco Beketi, who already has to pay 110 million euros.
In fact, the situation is even worse. It is not simply a question of “loss”. The Albanian government of Edi Rama has approved the agreement offered by Beketi, acknowledging in this way that it has wronged its actions in the face of its companies in Albania.
Confidential government sources told “Boldnews.al” that the State Advocate and the arbitrator agreed by the Albanian side for the process at International Arbitration have been oriented towards a controversial business deal.
Under the International Arbitration Rules, parties in the process can find a chord between them, before the case is closed. In general, the plaintiff (Beketi in the present case) may bring an Agreement to the respondent party (the Albanian Government).
Edi Rama and his government, if they were convinced of the actions they had taken against the Blacks, would not accept the agreement. But the fact that the Pact offered by an Italian businessman has been accepted proves that the Albanian government has admitted that it has acted abusively against it.
Likewise, the fact that Rama is behind “confidentiality” in order not to make this case transparent is more proof that the Albanian state and Beketi have reached an agreement. International Arbitration Decisions are similar to those of the courts, which are made public.
While the Agreements include confidential terms, the publication of which requires the consent of the parties. The fact that Rama considers the “confidential” issue creates the clear idea that the Arbitration Court did not make a decision on the merits but closed the case after the parties had approved the agreement between them.
But is it true that the Albanian authorities have acted abusively, to the detriment of Francesco Beketi?
Some investigative documents provided by “Boldnews.al” testify that Francesco Beketi is involved in a fraudulent scheme with Kalivaç’s concessionaire, “KGE”.
Based on an investigation by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, starting from the reference of Anti-economic crime to the State Police and the Directorate of Taxation, in June 2015, the court imposed the arrest measure for Francesco Beketin, his mother, Liljana Condomiti, as well as their collaborator Mauro de Renzi.
According to the investigations, some companies, all under the name of Blackbird and his close people, have fictitious billing for each other, benefiting about 40m euros.
More specifically, the company “Energji”, which was controlled in absolute majority by Liljana Condomiti, had made fictitious invoices for unfinished works on the Kalivaç hydropower plant, which was taken by concession from her son, KGE, by her son, Francesco Beketi.
Prosecutors managed to secure hundreds of documentary material and fictitious bills, through which they could try out the scheme set up by Francesco Beketi and his associates.
Beketi and his close people were never arrested after they had left Albania. From England, where he resident, the Italian businessman addressed the International Arbitration, where he sought sanctioning the Albanian state because of what he considered as “abusive actions against his business”.
In the trial at International Arbitration, the Albanian state had all the chance to win the win over Francesco Beckit. The documents provided during the prosecution’s criminal investigation seemed sufficient to convince the international arbitrators that the lawsuit of Beckett was unfounded.
But Prime Minister Rama and his representatives have chosen to play the “loser” role and accept the 110m-euro deal presented by Francesco Beketi.
The reasons why Rama has chosen this role, while saving 110 million euros from their taxes to Albanian citizens, may take time to come to light.
