Corruption investigations continue, charges filed

TIRANA, Sept. 29 – State officials mandated to uproot corruption are continuing a series of investigations, filing charges with prosecutors with in tens of cases where corruption is suspected.
Hundreds of similar charges have been filed in the past 12 months, but no high profile case has gone to court yet.
This week, six officials of the taxation department in Fier face charges prosecuted for abuse of post after they had favored some businesses reimbursing money in the form of the value-added tax.
The head of the southernmost port of Saranda has also been charged for illegal behavior in some tenders. The same basis was used for charged laid for the Golem Municipality.
More than a dozen managers of private companies have also been charged of being involved in illegal ways of earning VAT reimbursement.
The State Audit Control Commission has also asked prosecutors to prosecute a judge in the western city of Kavaja for not properly declaring his income and assets.
Two officials of the environment department in the western port city of Durres have also been arrested for ‘passive corruption.’
Local media that has kept tally of the charges filed so far say there are about 400 cases currently under investigation by prosecutors. Almost none have gone to court yet.
Fighting corruption is seen as key to help Albania move forward with its EU membership bid.
In addition, corruption siphons off public funds and lowers the people’s trust in institutions, OSCE Ambassador to Tirana Florian Raunig said this week at a meeting with the local authorities in Fier and Lushnje, who signed a memorandum of understanding trying to improve accounting process and diminish the possibilities for corruption.