Arrest on corruption charges

BERAT, KORCA, March 23 – Authorities have increased their efforts and also arrest in the fight against allegedly corrupted official all around the country at the public posts. Corruption remains one of the main shortcomings along the country’s effort of integration into the European Union. All international reports and personalities visiting the country always refer to the efforts that the central and local authorities, and common Albanians should do to fight such a calamity which is hampering their progress toward the western world.
Moisi Memo ȵnaj, 46, is head of a media company on national communities, based on capital Tirana. While Ramadan Muhamet Baho, 53, was also part of this company and resident in Berat. Following a three-month investigation police arrested them for deceiving citizens offering them false documentation. They claimed to their clients of having influence and of their assistance to find jobs and also to release prisoners accused of different crimes.
Cunaj had been sentenced before to seven years imprisonment also for deceit.
In another operation Tirana police arrested Bashkim Demo Canaj, 57, a teacher at a high school in the capital and Petrit Ilmi Asllani, 49, who offered false documentation to people as if they had followed and graduated their school, for which they claimed a financial compensation of 200,000 leks.
An Italian, named Fabio Maria Abate, 36, was arrested and accused of illegally entering the database of an airline and putting those at the disposal of other flight companies in compensation of price reduction. He had thus not only profited himself but also heavily damaging a flight company.
Ten other persons were put under arrest from the Durres district court for trying to impose with a financial price on getting a license on mine exploitation.
Paro Laci, 42, a businessman and also president of a football club, and nine others and tried to influence getting a lice with offering of some 40,000 euros. Another charge against them is that of trying to offer considerable amounts of bribery on releasing a persons accused of murder in northwestern Shkodra city. They are also suspects of match fixing in the Albanian national football league.
They all denied the charges and also Laci was heard harshly accusing the premier at the trial on his arrest at the Durres court. He claimed that he knew too much on the alleged corruption of the government authorities and that he would open his mouth.
Yes, there is corruption and that covers all the public strata. The political fight has shown that cabinet ministers and many other officials of the public posts, including those of the opposition at the town halls should have been involved in corruptive cases that have turned them rich at a time when the public salary does not justify the expenses they do in their private life.
Corruption remains a main issue for the upcoming May 8 local elections and that is to be used extensively buy both main political groupings in the public campaigns.