Italian RAI 3 television has published the full letter of the General Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Engjëll Agaçi, after his name was mentioned by the Italian investigative show Report, during a report on the migrant agreement between Italy and Albania.
Agaçi admits that at the time he practiced his profession as a lawyer, he had Italian and Albanian clients involved in crimes related to drug trafficking.
“In my long professional activity as a lawyer in Italy, I have assisted many Italian citizens, obviously also Albanians and other foreign communities in Italy. In some of the procedures, I have helped my former clients involved in the crimes provided for by Presidential Decree 309/90 (Law on Narcotics)”, stated Agaçi.
He also explains the role as a consultant in the drafting of the Protocol between Italy and Albania for immigrants.
“It is part of my current duties to look at all the documents presented to the Council of Ministers. So, even if I was not part of the group of negotiators for the drafting of the Protocol between Italy and Albania, I certainly gave my modest contribution”, said the Secretary of the Council of Ministers.
ANGEL AGAC’S REACTION
At the attention of the editorial staff of “Report”.
I am reading that the object of your journalistic investigation has to do with the Protocol for immigrants, defined between the Albanian and Italian governments, then approved by law by the relevant parliaments and passed the constitutionality test by the Constitutional Court of Albania. To be honest, I do not find the connection of the above with my previous professional activity as a lawyer in Italy, which finally ended shortly before 15.09.2013, the day on which I had the honor to assume the position of General Secretary of To the Albanian Government, a position I still hold today.
Regarding your investigation, I honestly do not see any public interest in investigating my past personal and professional activity, which is completely unrelated and irrelevant to the current one. Above all, I notice from the substance of your questions that a careful verification of your sources has not been done. Of course these are observations that will be carefully evaluated by the polite editors as indicated above. In any case, due to the function I hold and for greater transparency and truthfulness, I offer my availability to answer all your questions.
Question:
– Is it true that you played the role of mediator in the negotiations for the sale of 30 thousand hectares of land from Artur Shehu to the Eftimiadi foundation, which took place on February 28, 2015?
Answer:
On 31.03.2012, as a Lawyer, I took on a formal task from the Court of Trieste, on behalf of the then Curator, to follow the documentary and material events of the True Trust of the late Mr. Salvatore Eftimiadi. I stopped the activity in question after I took the above-mentioned institutional function and I communicated to the curator first verbally and then officially communicated by the Law Studio, of which I was a part.
Question:
– Is it true that in exercising your profession as a lawyer in Italy you performed legal assistance and/or consultancy functions in favor of many Albanian citizens involved in criminal proceedings for drug trafficking in Italian courts?
Answer:
In my long professional activity as a lawyer in Italy, I have assisted many Italian citizens, obviously also Albanians and other foreign communities in Italy. In some of the procedures, I helped my former clients involved in the crimes provided for by Presidential Decree 309/90 (Law on Narcotics).
Question:
– Specifically, did you provide legal assistance and/or advice to Renardo Nallban, Alxi Nallban, Dritan Nikolli and Artur Shehu?
Answer:
I bring to your attention that Italian and European legislation on the protection of personal data prevents me from disclosing the names of my former clients, except with their consent. In any event, it is your right and right to access local court records for necessary checks. But I can absolutely rule out that the last name was a former client of mine.
Question:
– Did you have a consulting role or any other role in the drafting of the Protocol between Italy and Albania for immigrants?
Answer:
It is part of my current duties to review all documents submitted to the Council of Ministers. So, even if I was not part of the group of negotiators for the drafting of the Protocol between Italy and Albania, I certainly made my modest contribution.
Sincerely,
Tirana, April 5, 2024″.
