U.S. Ambassador: Albania at crossroads

by Alfred Kola

"Withers’ letter speaks for itself" – said the U.S. ambassador in Tirana, Alexander Arvizu, when asked to comment on the letter his predecessor, John Withers, sent to the Albanian public through Top Channel, the largest television network in Albania. He said that U.S. policy is not to comment on WikiLeaks publications, but implied that they were authentic.

Ambassador Withers sent a letter two days ago, where he responded to accusations from prime minister Berisha that he followed a personal agenda during his ambassadorship in Albania. He expressed his sadness for Wikileaks phenomenon but guaranteed that the cables published on its website were authentic. “U.S. embassies all over the world always say the truth – he wrote – although some might not like it”.

Publications on Wikileaks of the US embassy’s cables, which found full coverage in major Albanian televisions, sent strong shockwaves through the Albanian politics for weeks, especially those about the corruption of Berisha family and prime minister’s son implication with the explosion of Ammunition Dismantling Plant in Gerdec, where 27 people lost their lives. Berisha called the cables “a clear mirror of the Albanian daily press” in an effort to undermine their impact in the domestic affairs.   

Speaking in a symposium about the American – Albanian relations, ambassador Arvizu said that “Albania is at crossroads and the politicians must come together for the benefit of the nation”. Finally Mr. Arvizu admitted what the unaffiliated press in Albania, including Respublica.al, has maintained for two years now that the incumbent government is steering the country to the road of authoritarianism and economic abyss.