Former Albanian Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa testified on Monday, July 6, before the Special Court of First Instance against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) in the criminal case involving Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, his son-in-law Jamarbër Malltezi, and several other defendants over the privatization process of the former “Partizani” sports complex.
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“I had communication with Sali Berisha regarding the issue, but there was no intervention or influence from him,” Oketa stated during questioning.
Oketa: The Defense Ministry Had No Reason to Block the Process
Oketa, who served as Defense Minister in the Berisha government from March 2008 until September 2009, was questioned about an order he issued to General Vladimir Qirjazi, then head of the Support Command, instructing the completion of procedures for handing over the former “Partizani” facilities to the legitimate owners, including Malltezi.
The former minister explained that before becoming Defense Minister, he had served as deputy prime minister and later as a member of parliament. He said that once he took office, he delegated responsibilities to the relevant officials, as was standard practice.
According to Oketa, the former “Partizani” sports club had no strategic importance for national defense.
“From a security perspective, the former ‘Partizani’ sports club had zero interest because it had nothing to do with the armed forces or national defense,” Oketa told prosecutors.
He added that the club was managed by private individuals and that no budget discussions within the Ministry of Defense included any allocation of funds for the facility.
The Property Transfer Order and Qirjazi’s Concerns
Oketa was questioned about his order directing the Support Command to transfer the property to the former owners after they had completed the required payments based on the valuation conducted by expert Elvira Lame and another evaluator who has since passed away.
He said that by the time the file reached his office, the process had already passed through the relevant institutions and that the Ministry of Defense had no legal authority to stop it.
“In my memory, the property was not registered,” Oketa said.
He described his order as “the cover page of a long administrative file” and added that similar procedures had been followed for other properties as well.
Prosecutor Enkeleda Millonai presented a March 2009 document signed by General Qirjazi, in which he stated that the property had not been formally taken into possession and that there were no documents regarding privatization, meaning the Support Command could not complete the transfer procedure.
Asked whether Qirjazi agreed with the process, Oketa said the general may have had concerns, but noted that Qirjazi later established a working group to complete the property registration process.
“Since he ordered the establishment of the working group, in principle it appears that he agreed with the handover of the property,” Oketa said in response to questions from defense lawyer Genc Gjokutaj.
Oketa: Berisha Did Not Put the Administration at Anyone’s Disposal
Oketa was also questioned about allegations that Berisha had used state institutions and the Municipality of Tirana administration in favor of his son-in-law, Jamarbër Malltezi.
The former minister rejected the accusation, saying he had not received any instructions or pressure from Berisha.
“He had his own way of working. Even for minor issues, he would activate the anti-corruption office. There was no difference in this matter,” Oketa said.
He added that the owners had completed the required payments according to the law and that the issue became more sensitive only because the transfer process had stalled.
“If I were faced with this file today, I would make the same decision. If I had not done so, I could have faced accusations because the owners could have won the case in Strasbourg and there could have been a significant financial cost,” Oketa said.
Valuation Expert Elvira Lame Also Testifies
During the same hearing, valuation expert Elvira Lame was also questioned.
She told the court that the property assessment was carried out based on documents provided by the relevant institutions and on inspections conducted on site.
Lame said that the reduction of the land area compared to initial documents was based on information from the Municipality of Tirana.
“We were provided with the site plans. We did not determine them ourselves. We carried out the field verification and made the necessary comparisons,” Lame stated.
Regarding the valuation of the buildings, she said the experts relied on reference values from early 1997 provided by state institutions. She clarified that the evaluation concerned only state-owned structures and not unauthorized additions built by third parties.
According to Lame, the value was adjusted from 1997 prices to 2008 levels through indexation, while depreciation was calculated using data from the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT).
She also said that the former owners had not consulted her and that she did not know them personally.
Lame confirmed that in 2010 she received a phone call from Malltezi, who requested two additional property reassessments.
She said she had participated in six similar procedures involving properties comparable to the former “Partizani” complex.
“I am fortunate that no one called me,” Lame said, denying any pressure or interference from the defendants regarding her valuation.
Next Hearing Scheduled for July 20
At the end of Monday’s session, the Special Court postponed proceedings until July 20 at 11:00 AM, when additional witnesses are expected to be notified.
Among those scheduled to appear are former President Bamir Topi, former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, and Urim Muja.
The case concerns allegations of corruption related to the privatization of the former “Partizani” military complex, with Berisha, Malltezi, and other defendants facing accusations that they used public institutions to benefit from the property transfer process. The defendants have denied wrongdoing.