Why Flamur Noka keeps swearing he Hasn’t become a justice collaborator?

There is an uncanny resemblance between Flamur Noka’s recent rhetoric and that of Ilir Meta in the months leading up to his arrest. Many will recall how Meta began speaking about members of his party who, according to him, had turned into justice collaborators. His primary concern appeared to be the growing proximity of SPAK (Albania’s Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime) to his affairs, fearing he would soon be forced to turn into a collaborator himself.

Currently, Flamur Noka’s rhetoric echoes that of Meta’s during that same period. Instead of offering an explanation for his aggressive behavior toward fellow opposition MP Agron Shehaj in parliament, Noka deflected and launched into a tirade reminiscent of Meta’s, asserting that SPAK would never take him hostage.

This behavior might stem from the likelihood that investigations into him are nearing their conclusion. In Albania’s opposition circles, such preemptive posturing—an attempt to "flex their muscles"—is not unusual in the lead-up to major legal developments. Yet, as history shows, this bravado often vanishes on the day of arrest.

What concerns me more than the outcome of Flamur Noka’s investigation is the underlying obsession among certain opposition MPs with the idea of being “taken hostage” if accused or investigated for corruption. This fixation exposes a deeper fear: that they may have no choice but to cooperate with justice, confessing their own misdeeds and implicating their party leaders.

At least Ilir Meta broadened his accusations, calling his allies and even his wife justice collaborators for allegedly collaborating with SPAK. By contrast, Flamur Noka seems less preoccupied with his potential arrest and more concerned about being labeled a traitor by Berisha if he cooperates with investigators.

Thus, within the opposition, corruption investigations have devolved into a question of loyalty to their leader rather than accountability. Ilir Meta’s Freedom Party lost its credibility the moment he accused his collaborators of betrayal after SPAK uncovered incriminating emails and text messages. In Noka’s case, it’s unclear what evidence investigators might have, but his loud denials of collaboration with SPAK suggest his greater fear is being branded a justice collaborator by Sali Berisha, not facing imprisonment.

This dynamic mirrors that of any mafia family: when one member is detained, their loyalty to the boss takes precedence over the severity of the sentence. Flamur Noka, it seems, is grappling with this same dilemma, likely striving to protect the honor of his political “family.”

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Pse Flamur Noka po betohet se “nuk merret peng”?"