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| Yuri Kim in her last speech |
In Albania, the American ambassador, Yuri Kim, supported the actions taken by the local authorities during the events that occurred yesterday at Camp Ashraf 3, where the People's Mujahedin of Iran are sheltered. She stated that guests of a country must respect the established rules. The parties clashed after the police, following a court decision, entered the camp premises to exercise control over its environment. Ambassador Kim made these comments today during a media appearance at the end of her mandate in Tirana to present an overview of her diplomatic mission's achievements.
Known as dissidents of the Iranian regime, the Mujahedin accused the Albanian police of exercising violence against them and publicly demanded that the United States condemn the actions of the Albanian authorities.
The Albanian authorities categorically denied the accusations, reminding the MEK members that the police were acting to enforce a court decision due to suspicions raised by the Prosecutor's Office regarding cyber activities conducted within the camp, to the detriment of third countries.
Today, Ambassador Yuri Kim left no room for doubt regarding her stance on the situation created: "One thing is clear, we support the right of Albania to enforce its laws within its territory. There are specific terms that apply to any type of guest, and these guests must respect them."
Ms. Kim spoke at a media briefing as her diplomatic mission in Albania comes to a close. When she arrived in Tirana in January 2020, she stated that her priorities would be democracy, security, and business. After almost three and a half years, Ambassador Kim says she feels proud of the progress and significant steps taken to advance the partnership between the two countries: "Albania has undertaken challenging reforms, especially in the field of justice, which allowed the opening of negotiations for EU membership. Justice reform is not easy, quick, or perfect, but it is yielding results."
Regarding security cooperation, Ambassador Kim expressed that the collaboration has reached new levels. While highlighting the major military exercises Defender 21 and Defender 23, she emphasized, "For the first time in history, the US military has a continuous presence in Albania. In 2022, the US Special Forces in Europe established the regional headquarters of the Balkan Task Force in Albania, and the US Army in Europe deployed a Brigade of Security Assistance Forces here in Albania."