The father of 20-year-old Lauren Spaho from Korça, killed in Sweden, accused the Albanian state institutions of not helping him.
Alket Spaho told the investigative show Fiks Fare that the Albanian Embassy in Sweden, Stockholm, was not aware of the incident. In fact, the Albanian diplomats learned about the murder from the victim's father and not from other sources. The scandal deepens further for the investigation procedures, as the family members have not been allowed to travel to Sweden. The Albanian Embassy is still negotiating with the Swedish authorities for the travel permit, while the dead body is in a morgue in Karlstad, and the family has no help or monetary value to receive it.
"The boy's name is Lauren Spaho and he went to Sweden for a better life. The event happened on May 6, while the boy died 1 day later in the hospital in the city of Karlstad, Sweden. He went in to separate a friend when he was shot" - says his father Alket Spaho. He further asserts that 5 people have been arrested for the incident, 2 of whom are still in prison. He further claims that the Swedish authorities have notified the Albanian Police and the latter the family.
However, Alketi and his family have repeatedly asked for help from the Albanian Embassy in Sweden, which has not even informed them about the serious event. "Instead of them taking us on the phone, we took them. They knew nothing! We asked for information about what happened, about the boy's body. When will they bring it to us? We contacted the Swedes and they told us that for 1 week. But those from the Embassy tell us for 1 month. They are killing our son for the second time, this is the second murder. The state is not helping us. They tell us you will pay the expenses. They cost over 30,000 euros. We ask for support, we have opened the mortuary doors, but we cannot mourn the boy," he says.
After the complaint, the victim's father calls the numbers of the Albanian Embassy in Sweden, where he asks for assistance, since none of the family members are in Sweden. He asked to go to Sweden, but they did not allow him. "At the moment we do not have any kind of communication with the police, they are following the case. We did what we could do to talk to the police, to clarify on our side," says an embassy employee. Alketi then asks her to get official information about the forensic report, as the employee tells her that "we communicated via phone call! Do you want a written request? We make a request in writing".
“Kam folur me policinë, me policen, më ka premtuar që në momentin që do marrin përgjigje në sqarim se sa kushton dërgesa, si do bëhet dërgesa etj, etj., do na kontaktojë. Jo vetëm juve, por edhe neve. Procesi zgjat minimalisht 30 ditë. Informohet familja, siç ju kanë informuar, dhe në momentin kur çështja zbardhet, të gjitha dokumentet i dërgohen familjes” thotë punonjësja, e cila shton se “Ambasada kontaktoi me autoritetet lokale në momentin kur juve më morët mua në telefon”. Babai i të ndjerit i kërkoi Ambasadës që të negocionte me shtetin suedez që ai të udhëtonte për në atë vend. “Përsa i përket paraqitjes në gjyq, është e mundur që t’ju jepet vizë për t’u paraqitur. Por kjo është kur procesi të hidhet në gjyq, jo më përpara” -i thotë, teksa i kalon edhe një konsulle në telefon.
“As unë, as ne, nuk mund të bëjmë diçka për këtë gjë”- ia pret me të parën diplomatja. Më pas, Alketi i kërkon se përse Ambasada nuk kishte informacion për ngjarjen. “Sepse nuk na e ka raportuar njeri zotëri, nuk kemi nga ta dimë. Ose na kontaktojnë institucionet, ose na kontaktojnë vetë shtetasit” i përgjigjet konsullja. Më tej pohon se shpenzimet e sjelljes së trupit duhet të mbulohen nga familja dhe jo nga shteti shqiptare.
Fiksi contacts the numbers of the Embassy, asking why the embassy does not contact the Swedish authorities to allow Alketi to travel to Sweden to deal with the case. The consul says that Alketi has been expelled and that he needs a special permit. "We have discussed this part and we have also presented to the Swedish side how we can find a solution if a special type of permit can be made based on the case that the person comes. But this thing is in the process, we have not received confirmation yet", says the Consul.
Journalists ask her if the Embassy has made a request, while she answers that "we are in the process". Regarding the transportation of the victim, the Embassy claims that the expenses are borne by the family and the Embassy has no authority to deal with such procedures. He says that they will urgently provide the victim's passports.