TIRANA, April 22 – President of Albania Ilir Meta decreed the changes to the Criminal Code which were approved on Thursday by the Parliament, regarding the harsh prison sentences for violators of COVID-19 measures. Meta announced his decision through a press conference on Wednesday, during which he said that the changes made to the Criminal Code were necessary as the duration of the pandemic is unknown. However, he emphasized that state institutions should take several steps within this context.
Meta said that before these new provisions are adopted, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Committee of Experts and the Inter-Ministerial Committee of Civil Emergencies need to assess the legal framework related with the application of criminal legislation, as well as the clear definition of the list of dangerous infectious diseases, related to the implementation of emergency measures.
Most importantly, the government should launch a public awareness campaign on the new Criminal Code changes, according to the President.
President Ilir Meta proposed reduced prison sentences for violators of the COVID-19, which the Parliament approved, therefore passing the draft law on Criminal Code changes based on Meta’s suggestions. The current changes stipulate that:
Violators of the government orders to whom an administrative measure has been previously imposed, is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 6 months. The same offense, when committed in the exercise of commercial activity, thus endangering the health of people, is punishable by a fine or up to 2 years prison time.
Failure to comply with the quarantine or isolation order, or violation of quarantine rules, by the person carrying the infectious disease or not, is punishable by 2-3 years in prison. The intentional spread of an infectious disease with a high health risk , by a person who is a carrier of the disease or a person who intends to spread it, is punishable by 2-5 years in prison.
When this offense is committed through negligence, it is punishable by a fine or 2 years in prison. When this offense has caused serious consequences for people’s lives, the violator is sentenced to 3-8 years in prison.
