TIRANA, Sept. 10 – An Albanian lawmaker has been arrested and is facing charges for his alleged involvement in a shootout that left seven people wounded early Sunday.
Parliament has given prosecutors the green light to charge Armando Prenga, a Socialist member of parliament from Lezha County, who was arrested immediately after he and members of his family clashed with another group in the vicinity of the Laৠpolice station.
A Tirana court ruled Prenga has to wait in jail while his case goes to trial.
Prenga faces charges of intentionally causing serious injury, illegal possession of weapons and uttering threats, said a statement by Nik Nikollaj, the police chief of Kurbin Municipality, where Laৠis located.
Several other people involved in the brawl have also been arrested, police said.
The conflict related to fishing rights in the Patok Lagune, according to lawyers for both sides.
Prenga is accused by his opponents of using his political influence to transfer the rights to his brother, who was injured in the brawl.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said there would be zero tolerance for MPs breaking the law and urged prosecutors to do their job.
“No one is above the law, lawmakers included,” Rama said on Twitter.
In a statement issued through his lawyer, Prenga said he had acted in self defense and expressed anger over the treatment he had received from his party and for the way the opposition was using the situation for political gain.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha said the events were the latest example of Prime Minister Rama’s dealings with people with criminal ties.
“Above the law, and against the law, crime and criminals have become one with power,” Basha said in a statement.
Prenga is the third member of parliament from the ruling Socialist-led coalition to be arrested since Rama’s government came to power in 2013.
The General Prosecutor’s office had formally asked parliament to lift the immunity of the lawmaker so that prosecutors could proceed with the investigation. And parliament granted it in a unanimous vote.
The prime minister has increasingly come under fire from critics and the opposition for allowing people with dubious pasts and reputations to become members of parliament and take other public offices.
Under controversial constitutional and legislative changes approved in 2008, the party leaders have final say on all candidates for parliament. Several analysts have said the composition of parliament has suffered as a result.
Lezha MP gives up seat over criminal record
TIRANA, Sept. 8 – Arben Ndoka, a Socialist lawmaker, has given up his seat in parliament following months of pressure over his criminal conviction in Italy for facilitating prostitution.
In a letter to the Socialist parliamentary group, Ndoka said he was giving up his seat in Lezha County so he can work to clear his name.
He said he had been convicted by an Italian court for a crime he did not commit, and he would try to reopen the case and get an official pardon in Italy. Ndoka admitted to serving time in prison for the conviction, being released in 2005.
The resignation comes more than a month after the U.S. Embassy in Tirana had called the presence in parliament of an MP convicted of human trafficking “disgraceful.”
Albania’s ruling Socialist-led coalition has faced pressure over having elected representatives with criminal ties in its ranks.
Four MPs from the ruling coalition have had to give up their seats or have been expelled from the Socialist Party so far over alleged criminal offenses or records.
Earlier this week another Socialist MP from Lezha County was arrested for his involvement in a shootout and brawl that left seven people wounded.
The U.S. Embassy said this week it welcomed Ndoka’s decision to resign from parliament and the decision to allow the arrest of MP Armando Prenga.
“These decisions represent real progress for Albania towards creating a political system with leaders of the highest ethical standards,” the embassy said in a statement.
Under Albanian legislation, Ndoka’s vacant seat goes to the next name in the list the Socialist Party ran in the June 21, 2013 elections.
