The Court of First Instance of Argyrokastro (Αργυρόκαστρο, Albanian: Gjirokastër) rejected the request of Prosecutor Julian Tsafka to terminate the investigation into the death of 35-year-old Konstantinos Katsifas on Oxi Day,
Albanian special forces polices murdered Katsifas after he was protecting a Greek flag on October 28, 2018 in Voulariates (Βουλιαράτες, Albanian: Bularat), Northern Epirus, with a gun when police tried harassing celebratory events.
The court requested the investigation to continue by conducting additional actions in accordance with the legal provisions.
An announcement of the Argyrokastro Court of First Instance stated that: "Following a request by the prosecutor's office to close the case, the Argyrokastro Court, as the competent body, decided to return the case, ordering the execution of certain other investigative actions in accordance with the legal provisions. At the moment, the issue is in the phase of fulfillment of these obligations."
The final report is expected by mid-December, when it will clarify whether Albanian justice circles insist on Katsifa's false narrative that he committed suicide.
The position of the Prosecutor provoked the reaction of representatives of the victim's family, but also of the president of the court, Suela Dassi, who requested the continuation of the investigation.
Tsafka argued that: "The investigation shows that Katsifas committed suicide with his weapon, while he was surrounded by special police forces, on the mountain above the village, resulting in death.
In fact, because the victim suffered two injuries, one in the jaw and one in the chest, the prosecutor's office claimed that the 35-year-old made his suicide look like murder, since "the first blow to the jaw was a blow to the head, the second shot was fatal."
The most important evidence for what happened on that day is the recorded material from the portable cameras carried by the Albanian police force, but also from the cameras of the helicopter and the drone that operated over the area.
Albanian authorities claim that the footage did exist, but then spoke of a "misunderstanding" and that no such footage exists.
A simple internet search is enough for anyone to find that Albanian special forces police carry cameras in their equipment.
Diplomatic sources report that the Katsifas case is being closely monitored by the Greek Foreign Ministry and the Greek Embassy in Tirana on orders of Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
The family of the 35-year-old expatriate asks for the support of Greece in order for the case not to be covered up since the victim was also a Greek citizen and lost his life defending the right to raise the Greek flag.
READ MORE: Disgusting conclusion by Albanian prosecutors: “Konstantinos Katsifas committed suicide.”
