Socialist Party, Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration have started a tough battle in the field of clusters, in order to create paths to the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Socialist Party
Albanian Socialist Party has hired the Ballard Partners lobbying company, based in Florida, which is wide-known for its connections with the US president, Donald Trump.The data obtained by BIRN, for the US Justice Department, show that the contract was signed on April 13th 2017 between Rama’s communications director, Endri Fuga, and president of Ballard Partners, Brian Ballard.The agreement will enter into force on 1st April 2017 and will last till 18th March 2018.
“Ballard Partners” consultancy will cost $ 20 thousand per month, and if it lasts for as long as it is predicted, the total amount will reach $ 240 thousand, plus other costs.On the contract provided by BIRN the company undertakes to advise Socialist Party and advocate important issues on its behalf, in front of the United States federal government, BIRN writes.
“Issues and objectives might include the expansion of US-Albanian relations, the strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, promotion of judicial reform, implementation efforts in the fight against terrorism and military … and pushing forward the integration of Albania into European and Euro-Atlantic structures“, the contract reads.
Socialist Movement for Integration
Referring to the US Department of Justice and the investigation made by BIRN, the data show that in 2016, SMI has made payments of an amount of 267.804 USD for its lobbying company in Washington, Global Security and Innovative Strategies, GSIS. Charges include a monthly fixed fee of 30,000 USD for the American company, as well as reimbursement of expenses that the company has made when representing the interests of SMI’s leaders at the US Congress and the US administration. Amounts paid to GSIS’s provided SMI leaders, high-level meetings in Washington. However, SMI has failed to report all expenses incurred for the American company to the annual financial report administered by the Central Election Commission, CEC, 2016, which raises doubts about the origin of the money and constitutes an offense. Data obtained by BIRN show that the operating costs, reported by SMI to the CEC, under the consultancy voice to 2016, are three times less than the amounts that SMI has made to GSIS.
Democratic Party
Democratic Party, has signed a contract with the company “STONINGTON Strategies” (part of Muzi Capitol Partners, LLC) to get the support of President Trump. This contract is signed by the Democratic Party’leader, Lulzim Basha, on March 22, 2017, for three months, until the month before the election. This company aims to develop and implement a political party’s campaign for the 2017 elections, to promote the DP’s vision and objectives in the press and in political and business personalities in the US and in an international level, to seek and build strategy to promote the conservative movement in Albania. DP will pay to the company $ 25,000 per month for 3 months: March, April and May 2017.
