ANNOUNCEMENT By Vatra Federation members

March 21, 2024

We, the legal members of the Pan-Albanian Federation Vatra, release this statement in regard to the article: “Decisions of Board of Directors of the Vatra Federation”, published on March 19 2024 in the Dielli newspaper:

After this article, a group of people, self-claimed as the Executive Board and the Board of Directors of Vatra, gathered in a meeting in Boston on March 17, 2024. It’s been over two years that neither the Vatra Executive Board nor the Board of Directors have had a meeting at the Vatra Headquarters in NY. Our opinion is that the reason they don’t hold meetings at Vatra’s offices, is because of their wrongdoings, they fear to face the members of the Vatra. On March 16, 2024, we the legal Vatra members, decided to not recognize the Executive Board and the Board of Directors of Vatra. We have probable cause to believe that these Vatra structures have either expired, or are illegitimate. All decisions taken from the self-claimed Board of Directors have no legal value, since they were not taken according to the Vatra Bylaws. The self-claimed leadership of the Vatra Federation operates more like a gang band, than a patriotic organization. We will explain the reasons below:

1. The self-claimed Board of Directors of Vatra, has been filled with people selected by the former chairman of Vatra, Mr. Elmi Berisha, contradicting the By-Laws, which defines the General Convention to elect and fill the members of the Board of Directors of Vatra, as an independent structure from the chairman of Vatra. Obviously, former chairman Elmi Berisha controls the self-claimed Executive Board the Board of Directors, as the members of both structures are nominated by him.

2. According to the article on Dielli newspaper, the former chairman of Vatra, Elmi Berisha, requested to be voted from the self-claimed Board of Directors of Vatra and he got elected as Chairman of Vatra with the votes of this Board members. Seeking a mandate from the self-claimed Board of Directors as an illegitimate election process, former
president Berisha admitted that his mandate given by the General Convention of Vatra in February 2022 has ended, confirming our statements that Mr. Elmi Berisha is out of mandate limits.

3. These people, who decided to vote and elect Mr. Elmi Berisha as the Chair of Vatra, firstly, they were selected by Mr. Elmi Berisha in the Board, therefore it is a conflict of interest, and secondly, the Bylaws determines that the chairman of Vatra is elected only by the delegates of General Convention of Vatra. The Board of Directors of Vatra can elect only the chairman of the Board. As a result, Mr. Elmi Berisha can be the chairman of the group that elected him, but not the chairman of Vatra. De-facto and de-jure, today Vatra does not have a chairman.

4. The former chairman of Vatra, Elmi Berisha, first appointed these individuals, as members of Board of Directors, in clear conflict of interest, then he used them to vote pro expelling of some honored members from Vatra. These Vatra members have continuously opposed and criticized the illegal actions of Mr. Berisha and also have requested his resignation.

5. The Bylaws written by them determines, that a secret voting is required for disciplinary measures’ decisions, and in the case of a secret vote, voting in person is required. At the meeting of the self-claimed Board of Directors, the virtual voting via ZOOM was used in violation with the Bylaws.

6. The self-claimed Vatra leadership, asked the court of NY, not to allow 150 Vatra members to hold a meeting at Vatra’s headquarters office in Bronx, NY, by speculating the court, that if this meeting will take place, “the situation will escalate to violence”. After all, it was and remains a low and shameful act. The self-claimed Vatra leadership can gather in the restaurants and hotels of America, but we, the members of Vatra, will request in the first chance, a re-evaluation from the court of its decision. We hope tha the court will give us the right to hold our meetings in our own office at Vatra Headquarters.

7. We, the legal members of the Vatra Federation, are committed to our mission to protect Vatra from the wrongdoers. We will use all the means within the US law to return legitimacy and honor to Vatra Federation.

Respectfully, Vatra members:

1. Ervin Dine
2. Idriz Lamaj
3. Sergio Bitici
4. Ramiz Mujaj
5. Ibrahim Kolari
6. Prend Qetta
7. Aleks Menracaj
8. Cezar Ndreu
9. Elton Mara
10. Lek Mirakaj
11. Agim Mujaj
12. Hilmi Mujaj
13. Idris Celaj
14. Muhamet Omari 15. Klarenc Novaku 16. Valentin Lumaj
17.Luvigj Sterbyqi
18.Gjovalin Gjelaj
19.Medi Hoxha
20.Shaqir Gjonbalaj
21.Lavdrim Cami
22.Muharrem Bajraktari
23.Artur Bajraktari
24.Bestar Mujaj
25.Franka Veli
26.Veis Belliu
27.Ilirjan Blloshmi
28.Ahmet Gjuta
29.Shpetim Ndreu
30.Bashkim Sina
31.Kafile SIna
32.Markela Sina
33.Marjana Bulku
34.Ela Dine
35.Dave Mirakaj
36.Kejvi Mirakaj
37.Hamit Rapaj
38.Viktor Vorfi
39.Marin Prendi
40.Ilir Gjini
41.Mikel Ndoci
42.Myftar Gjuta
43.Damjan Previzi
44.Tomorr Gjuta
45.Toni Herri
46.Gazment Toska
47.Kristian Radi
48.Spartak Plaku
49.Klajdi Rapaj
50.Nick Pocesta
51.Prend Marku
52.Alban Bici
53.Robert Gjergji
54.Anton Vorfi
55.Robert Gjergji
56.Henri Hoda
57.Eno Nishe
58.Ton Marku
59.Prend Marku
60.Artan Veli

Deklarate-Vatra 7-2

DEKLARATË E anëtarëve të Federatës Vatra, NY, 21 Mars 2024 – Grupi i vetëshpallur lidërship ka shkelur Kanunoren dhe operon si bandë