A serious political and procedural clash has moved to Parliament, where the Socialist Party is seeking the maximum parliamentary punishment against MP Agron Shehaj and the referral of the matter to SPAK. According to the Socialist Party’s version, the incident is linked to the removal from Parliament premises of a classified document related to the loan agreement with the United States.
PS request: 60 days out of committees and plenary sessions
In a request addressed to Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi and the Secretariat for Procedures, Votes and Ethics, the Socialist Party has asked that Shehaj be excluded for 60 days from participation in committees and plenary sessions.
The move comes after an incident that the majority describes as a serious violation of the rules for handling confidential documents within Parliament. At this stage, the claims have been presented by the Socialist side in the form of an institutional written submission.
What is claimed to have happened with the document
According to the filed request, during the review of the direct loan agreement between Albania and the United States, within the framework of foreign military financing, MPs had been informed that the document contained classified information.
In the official version presented by the Socialist Party, the material could be consulted only on premises designated by Parliament and only after signing a confidentiality declaration. According to the same version, Shehaj requested to take the physical copy of the document with him, but was opposed by staff.
Allegation of taking it by force and injuring an adviser
The written request states that the MP took the material by force and left the office where the document was being kept. The Socialist Party also claims that a Parliament adviser, who followed him in order to retrieve the document, fell down the stairs and suffered injuries.
The majority describes Shehaj’s behavior as violent and aggressive. These are accusations raised in the Socialist Party’s political and procedural request, while the involvement of investigative bodies is being sought to verify them.
Why SPAK’s intervention is being sought
Beyond the disciplinary measure in Parliament, the Socialists are asking for the case to be referred to the Special Prosecution. According to their claims, the MP’s actions may be linked to several criminal offenses affecting classified information and the functioning of the public administration.
The request mentions suspicions of unlawful obtaining of classified information, misappropriation of documents, obstruction of a public official’s duty, and violation of provisions on the protection of state secrets. It remains to be seen whether SPAK will consider the matter to contain sufficient elements for an investigation.
The incident opens another sharp conflict between the majority and the opposition, this time not only on the political level, but also over how sensitive documents are handled in Parliament.
For the moment, two separate issues are on the table: the disciplinary measure to be reviewed within Parliament and the criminal weight of the claims that the Socialist Party has decided to address to SPAK.