FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
SPAK's decision to indict Ilir Meta has caused a stir in foreign media. The Associated Press wrote a long article about it, which was later covered by many other foreign media outlets, including the Washington Post . According to the article, he faces 12 years in prison, while the emphasis is on the fact that Meta has held every possible position.
Full news
Former Albanian President Ilir Meta is officially under indictment for corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and concealment of assets, his lawyer announced on Tuesday.
The charges were communicated to Meta through a 192-page report drafted by prosecutors from the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), which deals with cases involving senior political and state officials, according to lawyer Kujtim Cakrani.
Meta, 56, founder of the left-leaning Freedom Party, was arrested in October.
In a Facebook post, Meta wrote that he “cannot wait for the trial to begin, which will be public and will show the world” that SPAK is a puppet in the hands of Prime Minister Edi Rama. He also described SPAK as Rama’s “anti-opposition task force.”
Rama's ruling Socialist Party won a landslide victory in the May 11 parliamentary elections, securing 83 seats in the 140-seat parliament.
Meta, who served as president from 2017 to 2022, has been a harsh critic of Rama and has described the case against him as a politically motivated attack against an opposition leader.
If found guilty, Meta faces a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.
Meta's ex-wife, Monika Kryemadhi – an MP and former leader of the Freedom Party – is also accused of the same criminal offenses. Two other people connected to the case have been charged with money laundering and corruption.
Meta has held almost all of the highest positions in post-communist Albania, starting as a member of parliament, continuing as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy, Deputy Prime Minister, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Parliament and then President.
Prosecutors say that during his time as Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy, Meta abused his position to influence various businesses, from which he and Kryemadhi benefited from significant sums of money.
Meta is also accused of failing to justify nearly $460,000 (404,000 euros) spent on lobbying in the United States.
Meta and Kryemadhi are also accused of purchasing assets with illegally obtained money, or of failing to declare personal health expenses.
Albania, which has begun negotiations for full membership in the European Union, has faced corruption for decades, which has hindered the country's democratic, economic and social development.
Justice institutions created with the support of the EU and the US have launched several investigations into former senior government officials accused of involvement in corruption affairs.
Sali Berisha, a former president and former prime minister – currently an MP and leader of the Democratic Party, the main opposition force – is also under indictment for corruption and is awaiting trial.
Lini një Përgjigje