Albania‘s former President, Ilir Meta, has been arrested on allegations of corruption, money laundering, and failure to declare assets. The arrest took place in the capital city of Tirana on Monday, as Meta returned from a visit to neighboring Kosovo. Local media reported that masked, plainclothes police officers from the National Investigation Bureau apprehended Meta from his vehicle just before he was set to hold a news conference.
Meta, who is the leader of the left-wing Freedom Party and served as President of Albania from 2017 to 2022, has been a vocal critic of the current government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama. He has accused Rama’s government of running a ‘kleptocratic regime’ and concentrating all legislative, administrative, and judicial powers in Rama’s hands.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Fight against Corruption issued the order for Meta’s arrest. His party has denounced the arrest, calling it a ‘criminal kidnapping.’ Meta’s lawyer, Genc Gjokutaj, confirmed that the former president is being investigated for alleged corruption, money laundering, and hiding personal income and property.
Meta’s ex-wife, Monika Kryemadhi, who is also an MP for the Freedom Party, is under investigation for similar allegations but has not been arrested. She is required to regularly appear before the judicial police. The accusations against them include ‘passive bribery of a senior official,’ ‘money laundering,’ and ‘false declaration of assets’.
The investigation into Meta and his ex-wife involves international cooperation from countries such as the United States, Austria, Italy, San Marino, and Cyprus. If found guilty, the charges could result in up to 12 years in prison according to the Albanian penal code.
This arrest is part of a broader effort to combat corruption in Albania, a issue that has significantly impacted the country’s democratic, economic, and social development since the fall of communism. Other high-profile figures, including former Prime Minister and President Sali Berisha, are also under investigation for corruption.
