Albania’s former president, Ilir Meta, don dey in trouble as police arrest am on Monday for alleged corruption and money laundering. Dis arrest happen when Meta dey return to Tirana after visit to Kosovo.
Meta, wey be 55 years old and a centre-left politician, serve as President from 2017 to 2022. Him party denounce de arrest, say na “criminal kidnapping.”
The special prosecutor’s office say Meta and him ex-wife, Monika Kryemadhi, plus other public figures, dey suspected of several criminal offences, including “passive bribery of a senior official,” “money laundering,” and “false declaration of assets.”
Some of de allegations date back to when Meta be Minister of Economy from 2010 to 2011, while others be more recent. Images from Albanian media show police officers escorting Meta out of him car and into a police special forces van.
Monika Kryemadhi, 50, who be MP of Meta’s Freedom Party, no dey arrested but she go need to regularly appear before de judicial police. She dismiss de accusations against her and her ex-husband as “political.”
If de charges be proven, according to de Albanian penal code, dem go face up to 12 years in prison. De prosecution say investigations still dey continue regarding other persons suspected of being involved in dis illegal criminal activity.
De prosecution also mention say dem get international assistance and cooperation on dis case from countries like United States, Austria, Italy, San Marino, and Cyprus.
Former Prime Minister and President Sali Berisha, who be de current leader of de opposition Democratic Party and under house arrest pending a corruption investigation, say “de persecution of Ilir Meta is political.” Meta, who once be ally of Prime Minister Edi Rama, now accuse Rama of leading a “kleptocratic regime” and “concentrating all legislative, administrative, and judicial powers in him hands.”
