TIRANA, Dec. 27 – Albania’s chief prosecutor asked the Central Elections Commission this week to strip two lawmakers of their mandates over suspicions that they have hidden criminal records under different identities.
The two lawmakers — Aqif Rakipi and Gledion Rehovica — have been a target of an investigation based on Albania’s decriminalization law, under which all MPs must submit extensive background information to guarantee they have no criminal convictions in Albania and abroad.
According to investigators, both MPs have been formerly arrested in Italy for theft under fake identities. They did not disclose this information with Albanian officials as required by law.
The lawmakers’ fingerprints were sent to Italy, where they matched offenders fingerprints in judicial bodies’ databases. Even though the identities did not correspond, the director of the prosecutorial judicial sector, Rovena Gashi, signed and sent the request for the removal of mandates on Tuesday evening.
Rakipi is a member of the Cham community’s Party for Justice, Integration and Unity and was elected in Elbasan County. Rehovica represents Berat County for the Socialist Movement for Integration. Both are currently serving their second terms in parliament. PJIU supports the government in parliament. SMI is currently in opposition.
If it is proven they did not disclose the arrests in Italy on purpose, CEC can strip them of their mandates.
CEC had sought information on five current and former elected officials based on the decriminalization law. Two are no longer serving in office and one was cleared by the investigation.
This is the second time Rakipi has come under the spotlight. Earlier this year, the Democratic Party requested Rakipi’s past be verified again, as the opposition said he has strong ties with Prime Minister Edi Rama, who allegedly protected Rakipi back in August, when the deputy hit someone with his car and fled the crime scene.
When previously contacted by local media, Rakipi denied having information concerning the requests for mandate removal, or having been formerly convicted. The response remained the same when media reached out to him this week. Meanwhile, Rehovica has not spoken out on this issue.
The decriminalization law was approved at the start of 2016, after DP’s two-year-long campaign accusing the governing majority of appointing MPs and mayors with criminal pasts. Upon its establishment, two MPs and one mayor lost their mandates, while two other ruling Socialist Party lawmakers resigned before being investigated.
The prosecution investigates deputies and officials of different administrative levels in the central and local powers.
