Journalist Artan Hoxha says that Ervis Martinaj was killed, but the police have not yet confirmed such a thing because they cannot prove it. Referring to today's statement by the Minister of the Interior, Taulant Balla, Hoxha said that he accepts exactly this.
Balla stated in a TV show that the police have new information about Martinaj and hinted that a criminal offense was committed against him.
"On May 17, Ervis Martinaj was declared the most wanted man in Albania. On August 9, 2022, he suddenly disappeared. He was kidnapped and destroyed. Since that time, the prime minister gave the police director a 100-day deadline. A year and a month have passed. From that moment it was said that the police cannot prove it, not that they don't know. All these people within the police who have ties to the groups know things. What Balla hints at is that the police know what happened and are trying to prove it.
When the Martinaj incident happened, Sky and Ecro were out of business. But the police have other channels to try. I think that up to a certain point, the police were not interested in clarifying it. The police know what happened. There are video footage, but there is no corpse," said Hoxha.
Hoxha said that crime is financially stronger than the police organization, which has the duty to fight it.
"It's no longer '98 when hashish was passed by mules. If we talk about Ervin Mata losing half a million euros in one night in a casino, that's what we're talking about. Crime has a larger budget than the Ministry of the Interior. How can you leave a police officer with a salary of 500 thousand lek. The policemen's hats and uniforms were also stolen. They have no oil and cannot speak. I doubt that this is done on purpose."
What did Balla declare?
Invited tonight to a television show, Balla stated that the police " have a lot of new information, but I would ask for your understanding until the moment of the State Police's conclusions, either for the perpetrators, or for the place or for the suspicions of where he is committed, if this criminal offense has been committed, I will remain silent".
Asked if he could provide more accurate information, Balla replied: "The State Police has an important and reliable lead, through which it aims to clarify this whole incident, but I find it impossible... The information is secret and it is part of the investigation. I think that the Police is in the right direction to solve this incident".