The Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) has launched a preliminary investigation over the recent scandal published by Lapsi.al, according to which the Socialist Party has illegally created a database that contains confidential data on 910 thousands of voters, including their telephone numbers, ID numbers and working place. It is learned that the prosecutors of the special structure have started the verifications to find out how the SP has provided confidential data that are protected by law over thousands of Albanians. Voice of America reports that “representatives of SPAK have stated that the steal of personal data is not an issue within the competence of this newly established institution, but it started verifications based on the importance of the problem and the current phase of the election campaign.”
Initially, it was the Democratic Party that requested the involvement of SPAK in the investigation of the scandal. “The use of the e-Albania database by Edi Rama and SP officials is a criminal offence. For this DP is preparing a lawsuit that will be submitted to SPAK,” said yesterday former MP of the Democratic Party Enkelejd Alibeaj. Soon President Meta followed the DP by urging SPAK and other justice institutions to investigate the scandal. “It is an unacceptable and vicious violation of any norm and morality, to use the personal database available,” said Meta, who issued a public letter on this issue addressed to SPAK and the prosecutor’s office of Tirana, to the OSCE and the CEC, as well as to the embassies and other public institutions. According to Meta, the use of personal data by a political party is one of the gravest events that have occurred during this electoral campaign, since the data can be used for intimidation and blackmail of voters.
According to Lapsi.al, “a data system has been made available in the SP electoral offices, which raises strong doubts about the use of the state database of E-Albania in function of the ruling party.” Official sources from SPAK stated that they will compare in the next days the data from e-Albania with those in the disposal of the Socialist Party, to verify whether the information that the SP possess is the same.
Yesterday the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) which administers e-Albania issued a statement, saying that “under no circumstances the data available to the AKSHI have been used, nor can they be technically used by political parties or the government itself for political or electoral purposes.”
Along with SPAK, the spokesperson of the Office for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection Redi Skënderaj said that as soon as he was informed about this case, the Commissioner started the relevant legal verifications.
