Meta visits prosecutors’ office to reset ties

TIRANA, Nov 3 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta on Tuesday made a surprise visit to the office of Prosecutor General Ina Rama, apparently in a move to reconcile ties between the two institutions.
Though elected to the post with the governing Democratic Party support Rama has had many difficulties between her work and the relations with the government and Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The frozen relations between the two institutions naturally bring about negative effects in the impact of the joint work, or generally in the fight against organized crime and corruption.
Meta said that the meeting served his purpose of how the prosecutor’s office gives its contribution to the government efforts for the European Union visa-free regime which the country hopes to achieve next year.
When asked whether they discussed the immunity of two ministers of the cabinet, Meta said he had always said openly his vote would be in favor if there would be any request from prosecutors.
The opposition and also the international community has increased pressure on the government and the prosecutor’s office to again ask for lifting the immunity of two ministers accused of corruption or abuse of post.
The court had released former defense minister Fatmir Mediu and transport minister Lulzim Basha from the charges earlier this year and they were reelected as parliamentarians and also cabinet ministers. Mediu is environment minister and Basha interior minister.
Basha was accused of abusing the post in the Rreshen-Kalimash road segment project charging Albanian taxpayers much more than required, according to the opposition. Mediu was accused of his part at the Gerdec blast of the ammunition disposal factory last year.
The Supreme Court decided for both against continuation of the trials due to procedural mistakes.
To resume charges, which were not appealed by the prosecutors, they have to re-send another request to the parliament to lift their immunity.
Premier Berisha has said they will always favor prosecutors if they make such a request. The international community has also reminded the government of such a pledge and call on the authorities to deepen the fight against corruption.
Albanians will now have to wait to see whether prosecutors will again decide to re-accuse the two ministers and if they will make the request and other steps correctly.