What is the truth of Lulzim Basha’s lobbying in the USA?!

30 Shtator 2021, 12:49, English CNA

What is the truth of Lulzim Basha’s lobbying in the USA?!

In recent days in the Albanian political scene, has returned the issue of funding with the firm of Lulzim Basha in a lobbying company in the US, to provide a photo with President Donald Trump and support in the US Congress.

So Basha has lobbied in the US with funding from offshore Russian companies. But what is the truth? On the eve of the general parliamentary elections of 2017, Lulzim Basha published on social networks a photo with former US President Donald Trump.

In the media it was reported that Trump?s photo with Basha cost not a little, but about 20.000 dollars. President Trump was on a fundraising evening for a candidate of his party. That night Trump took photos with anyone who was present and who paid 20.000 dollars.

Basha bought a ticket to enter that evening, and the price was 10-20.000 dollars (depending on the position of sitting). But the pear has its tail back, and after the publication of the photo with Trump, broke out the scandal of money lobbying funded by Russian offshore companies. (read here)

So, the lobbying scandal with Nick Muzin in the USA, where were paid 1 million 25 thousand dollars, for which Lulzim Basha has given 3 different versions in the 3 times he has spoken on this issue. In November 2017, the BIRN news agency published a full article on the funds the DP had paid to provide support to the US top administration.

Meanwhile, only 2 weeks after the publication of this denunciation, was published a photo of Lulzim Basha. In the media and politics circles it was reported that the DP leader was traveling to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

Further, in March 2018, the American investigative magazine ?Mother Jones? published a full investigation into the donation of 675.000 dollars by the DP for the company Muzin, with the signature and personal negotiation of Lulzim Basha, to secure support for him in the USA.

In this article, were made public facts on how Lulzim Basha has offered fat payments for his promotion in the USA. The same article states that Basha has contracted an American lobbyist named Nick Muzin, who is also a former aide to Donald Trump’s campaign.

The contract between Muzin and the Democratic Party was signed by Basha, to lobby for the DP in March, April and May 2018, and for this the latter would receive 25.000 dollars for the services he would perform within this time frame. (read here)

This denunciation was also reported by the Voice of America, the New York Times, and caused a great deal of controversy in Albania. No one talked about the detail related to the photo of Lulzim Basha, reported in December 2018 and a possible visit to Edinburgh, where according to American media is based Binniata Trade LP, which in the denounced scandal has paid 150.000 dollars for the DP, the American company of Nick Muzin.

CNA.al went further in the investigation and in March 2019 we published the official documents of the US Department of Justice, where according to the statements made by the Lobbying Company Muzin Capitol LLC, registered on 14.11.2017, it results that: The Russian company Biniatta Trade LP would pay Stoningtone Strategies company, according to the agreement 4 amounts. The document states:150.000 dollars for each month for a period of 3 months, on March 15, April 15 and May 15, for a total amount of 450.000 dollars.

It is further written that Biniata Trade LP will pay Stonington Strategies the amount of 500.000 dollars as a special fee until the closing of the agreement on March 23, 2017.

So Basha has paid 450.000 dollars in 3 months, and the amount of 500.000 dollars as a special payment from the Russian offshore company, so in total 950.000 dollars. Plus 75.000 dollars paid by DP and thus become a total of 1.025.000 dollars paid by DP and Lulzim Basha for lobbying in the US.

On the other hand Lulzim Basha has given several versions. In the show ?Opinion? he stated that he didn?t know the company Binniata Trade. But the contract signed by him has Binniata?s name written on it and declared by the Muzin company.

On the other hand, there is the unfinished trial of this case in Albania. Basha claims that the responsible authorities have investigated and the accusations according to him have been defamation. But the truth is that the case is closed with procedure, and it is not a closed trial.

The prosecution hasn?t questioned Nick Muzin, and has not formally received the documents.

Lulzim Basha?s photo with President Trump is proven, statements to the US Department of Justice by the Muzin company are proven, and so are Binniata?s payments to Nick Muzin. And this is a scandal that will remain a black mark in Albanian politics. The deeper it is analyzed, the more details emerge. Russian companies, dubious sources, occasional trips to the areas of these companies, but also silence and contradictory attitudes of Lulzim Basha himself./CNA.al

The official link of the article is this:

Si qëndron e vërteta e lobimit të Lulzim Bashës në SHBA?!