 |
| Sali Berisha, Vladimir Putin and Lulzim Basha (montage) |
On Thursday, the British media outlet BBC unveiled a comprehensive investigation into how a Russian company, disguised by fictitious owners in the United Kingdom but with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to a former aide of Donald Trump's election campaign. The purpose of this payment was to lobby for Lulzim Basha, the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, in connection with the 2017 elections.
The company in question, which appeared to be registered in Scotland, transferred $150,000 to a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., with the aim of arranging for Lulzim Basha to have a photograph taken with former President Donald Trump. This photo was subsequently used by the Democratic Party leader in his 2017 election campaign.
Nick Muzin, a former campaign aide to President Donald Trump, managed to organize meetings where Lulzim Basha made contact with several Republican congressmen.
Reports from the U.S. Intelligence community last year indicated that the 2017 election campaign in which Lulzim Basha ran for the position of Prime Minister of Albania with the slogan "Let's Make Albania Great Again" was covertly supported by Russia with $500,000.
Lulzim Basha, who denied these allegations, has not responded to requests for further information from the BBC, according to reports by the British media. Payments for lobbying on behalf of Lulzim Basha in the United States were made by the company Biniatta Trade, headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Behind Biniatta Trade was Alpha Consulting, based in the Seychelles.
Alpha Consulting had played a role in establishing 900 companies in the United Kingdom, companies used to conceal the properties of Russian oligarchs who were friends of President Vladimir Putin. Among these individuals was the former head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who sought to obscure ownership of the yacht he used.