Albanian senior oil corporation ex-officials arrested on corruption charges

TIRANA, Oct. 3 – Four former officials of the Albpetrol, the only state oil company of Albania, were arrested Wednesday in Albania on suspicion of theft and abuse of office, police and prosecutor office said.
Two other ex-officials of the ARMO, the only state oil distribution company, have also been accused of abuse of post and the court has issued warrants for their arrests, but they are still at large, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Over the past two months, police have arrested 17 senior government officials, including a deputy cabinet minister, and two businessmen, while three other officials have also been charged with corruption, according to the Interior Ministry and prosecutor’s office.
The four former Albpetrol managers, who were employed until last year, were arrested Wednesday morning following a three-month investigation by police.
They are accused of favoring certain companies in bidding for various contracts causing “considerable damage to the public budget,” police said.
The offenses carry sentences of up to 10 years in prison.
Though Prime Minister Sali Berisha says that fighting corruption is a government priority, Albania was ranked the most corrupt country in southeastern Europe and 105 in this year’s list of 180 countries worldwide, according to Transparency International.