If Shkelzen Berisha was to run an opposition media during his father's regime

4 Dhjetor 2022, 00:50Op-Ed Mero Baze

Sali Berisha’s son, Shkelzen Berisha is the real owner of the “Syri” television channel. More than five years ago, Berisha bought the broadcasting license of a TV station that was going bankrupt, registered it under a new name, changing the ownership license and he is now the de facto owner of this station. Formally, he has appointed as owner of the station a friend of his, who used to help him run his businesses when Sali Berisha was in power.

There was no financial evidence to justify the millions of Euros invested in the new TV station and furthermore, the government did not exercise any control over an informal business being run in a regulated market. I am not speaking here for the two different payroll systems, which are used to pay the employees, including certain public figures that, when in public, pretend to speak against corruption.

Now imagine for a moment if Sali Berisha was still Prime Minister and someone like his son tries to build an opposition media. Firstly, he would not issue the license for this media. Secondly, the former head of Albania’s revenue agency, who was suspected of corruption and now runs Shkelzen Berisha’s TV station, would have ended in jail under accusations of corruption, perhaps rightfully so. Anti-money laundering and revenue agencies would scrutinize all paperwork and every businessman who would have been interested in buying advertising time in this TV station. All in all, everything would be done to send this media towards bankruptcy.

Every public official would be required not to appear in this media and most likely, the government would try to prevent them even from watching its content. Other consequences, such as burning the offices, vehicles and violating the journalists working in this media would ensue.

Luckily for him, Shkelzen Berisha opened his TV station under a “different regime.” As a Prime Minister, Edi Rama accepted to be interviewed by this media, without ever ordering an investigation of its financing or saying anything regarding the corrupt past of those who formally run this media. Government institutions do not investigate the two different payroll systems, does not violate journalists, or burn down offices. Above all, he is not frustrated the existence of this media, despite of what hides under its surface.

However, what Edi Rama cannot do as a Prime Minister, Sali Berisha does not hesitate to achieve as opposition leader. Recently, he issued a wave of public threats against the new owners of “ABC News,” as this media was his private property and was being stolen from him.

Being in the opposition, abandoned and ignored by everyone, feeding only on hatred for his opponents, Sali Berisha still has the courage to threaten those who are not on his side. So far, I have not heard any of the institutions that monitor the freedom of press to speak up about this. Neither do we know if this incident has been recorded by them. However, the threatening of the new owners of “ABC News,” only because they have not negotiated the purchase with Berisha beforehand, shows clearly that he suffers from the conviction that he should give permission regarding everything media-related in Albania.

Despite everything, Sali Berisha cannot blame for his attitude, since it has provided him certain successes. People who work for his son have shares in every major construction development project in Albania. While Berisha protests against new construction projects, pretending to be worried about the environment, he is only worried that his son might not have received his share.

Only two weeks ago, Shkelzen Berisha bought 20% of the shares of a strategic investor, who is expected to invest 200 million Euros in Albania. Furthermore, there are government institutions, which Berisha respects even more than the government itself does. Therefore, having achieved such successes in the past, Sali Berisha believes that everyone should ask for his permission regarding everything that happens in Albania.

The recent threats against the new owners of “ABC News” shows clearly, not only the harsh primitivism of a man who is the greatest evil that has ever happened to Albanians, but also the reason why he cannot stay peacefully at home, despite his old age. Sali Berisha believes that he owns shares in everything there is in Albania and rightfully so, as long as he is not shown the place he deserves to be for the atrocities that he has committed.

 

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