contract

2025-04-28 14:06:00, Opinione Meri Lika

contract

The furor that arose online over the contract that the Democratic Party signed with "Continental Strategy" LLC, this furor that surprisingly started from SPAK, and which was then filled with truths and falsehoods, with comparisons and hyperboles, made me realize that I should write about it, for the sake of informing the public.

I am one of the auditors of Political Party funds, both in the election campaign and in the annual financial statements, and under these conditions I think I can allow myself to comment on the contract that the Democratic Party has signed with the entity "Continental Strategy" LLC.

In order to provide the clearest possible opinion, I have referred to the Electoral Code, Law No. 8580 dated 17.02.2000 "On Political Parties" as well as the Regulation on Financing on which my colleagues and I rely to provide our opinions regarding the use of funds.

The Electoral Code, in its Seventh Part (Part VII), defines the rules for financing political entities in Elections and Election Campaigns, and in this section the law sets restrictions regarding the limit that individuals, legal entities or private persons should not exceed in their financing, but the Electoral Code in no part of it defines a limitation on the financing of political entities in periods outside of campaigns.

DP lobbying contract with American company/ SPAK begins verification
April 27, 15:23

Law no. 8580 dated 17.02.2000 "On Political Parties", article 17 defines:

Article 17

The financial and material resources of political parties consist of membership fees, public funds, including financial assistance to the extent determined in the State Budget approved by law by the Assembly, non-public funds, which are financial donations, in-kind donations, services, sponsorships, various loans or guarantees, as well as any other financial transaction.

Both the Electoral Code and the Law on Political Parties have a tax prohibition which stipulates:

Financial and material assistance from governments and foreign public or private entities, as well as from domestic public entities or entities with state capital participation, is prohibited. Gifts and assistance from parties or international coalitions of parties, from domestic and foreign political organizations and foundations, as well as from domestic individuals, natural and legal persons, are permitted.

Based on what I have explained above, I am continuing with the analysis of the contract which, in my opinion, based on legislation, is in-kind financing in favor of the Democratic Party from a foundation represented by citizen Nuredin Seci.

Lobbying contract with American company/ PD reacts: It is being paid for by Albanian patriots
April 26, 22:43

After reading the contract signed with the political entity Democratic Party and the entity “Continental Strategy” LLC, I, in the role of an auditor, checked two provisions that the Electoral Code and the Law on Political Parties establish as prohibited:

1-That an individual, natural or legal person, in the Election Campaign, cannot finance more than 1,000,000 new lekë.

2-That financial assistance from individuals, governments or foreign entities is prohibited.

Let's explain the first point.

The contract stipulates the provision of services for the two years of activity of the political entity Democratic Party, i.e. not during the election campaign but during its two-year activity.

Under these conditions, the first point that is part of the prohibitory criteria of the law is NOT VIOLATED.

LOBBYING IN THE USA/ Millions of euros paid for decades by Albanian parties
April 28, 12:30

Let's explain the second point.

The contract stipulates that the political entity Democratic Party has no financial obligation to pay, but that citizen Nuredin Seci has guaranteed it. The only issue that remains to be resolved is whether the person has Albanian citizenship or not.

Regarding the financial possibility of paying for this contract, the US is looking at that, I do not believe that SPAK has that much ability given that it has not had the ability to find out where the millions of euros for incinerators, sterilization, checkups, 5D, etc., have gone.

This contract would have a problem if, after the year 2025 ended, the Democratic Party entity did not declare it in its financial statements.

In addition to all of this, I have a question for SPAK, just out of curiosity:

Has it ever checked how our public funds are spent by political parties?

Just out of curiosity, another question:

Has SPAK investigated how Luli spent 171,143,429 lekë, that is, 1 million and 710 thousand euros, in the 2023 elections when there were no candidates?/ CNA