TIRANA, April 11 – A former Socialist MP and power player in election of current MPs as well as a media owner businessman are two of the latest Albanian additions to the designations by U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as persons who threaten the stability of the region through corruption, criminal activity and other destabilizing behavior.
Aqif Rakipi and Ylli Ndroqi are part of a group of seven people in four Western Balkan countries being added to the designation list, which includes other notables such as North Macedonia PM Nikola Gruevski.
The action reinforces the U.S. commitment to promoting accountability for actors in the Western Balkans region engaged in destabilizing and corrupt behavior, the American government said in a statement, adding that such corrupt behavior undermines the rule of law and economic growth, and it deprives people in these countries of opportunities and stability.
“The people designated today constitute a serious threat to regional stability, institutional trust, and the aspirations of those seeking democratic and judicious governance in the Western Balkans,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Combating corruption around the world is a major priority of the Biden-Harris administration, and Treasury will not hesitate to use all tools at our disposal to hold corrupt and destabilizing actors accountable.”
As part of the same action, the Department of State is also designating the group and immediate family members as banned from entering the United States.
The U.S. statement notes that 0rganized crime remains a significant threat in Albania, and criminal actors remain influential in Albanian politics, using money and violence to funnel support to preferred candidates.
It describes Aqif Rakipi as “a notorious former Member of Parliament from Elbasan, Albania, who has a damaging and destabilizing influence on political processes in Albania. Multiple organized crime groups (OCGs) in Albania have offered money, gifts, or promises for jobs or concessions in return for votes for their preferred political party. Rakipi has long been involved in organized crime and is closely associated with one OCG, within which he exerted political influence, including through corruption. For example, Rakipi has utilized his political influence to nominate his cronies to key public positions in Elbasan and Tirana. Rakipi lost his mandate as a member of Albania’s parliament after prosecutors confirmed his role in criminal activity under an alias. He is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14033 for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or former government official at any level of government in the Western Balkans, such as the misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of private assets for personal gain or political purposes, or bribery.”
The U.S. government statement also notes that Ylli Ndroqi is “a media owner whose assets were seized by the Albanian government in 2020 and 2021 for previous criminal activity. Ndroqi has utilized media outlets formerly under his control to extort and blackmail Albanian citizens through demands for money and advertising purchases in exchange for withholding publication of negative media stories. Additionally, Ndroqi has facilitated bribes on behalf of an entity seeking to do business in Albania. Ndroqi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14033 for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or former government official at any level of government in the Western Balkans, such as the misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of private assets for personal gain or political purposes, or bribery.”
The Department of the Treasury action means all property and interests in property of the designated individuals or entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. U.S. persons may face civil or criminal penalties for violations of E.O. 14033.
