The Durrës Prosecutor’s Office has completed the investigation over the 2017 Elections manipulation cases, and has brought to Court 21 persons that are accused of committing electoral crimes. According to the charges, it has been proven that the citizen Shpëtim Marku, resident in Shijak, during the last parliamentary elections voted on behalf of his father, while the latter was abroad. Also, the citizen Armelin Zeza, in the 2017 elections stamped ballots and voted on behalf of 25 other citizens who were abroad. The investigation was concluded also for the citizens Shpëtim Stafa, Elidon Stafa, Ramiz Tuda, Fredi Marku, Dalvis Biba, Emilian Tuda, Redi Hysa, who were part of the voting centre commission nr. 1508 0 in Shijak. The above-mentioned members of the voting centre commission, have intentionally allowed citizens who had previously voted, to cast their vote on behalf of 23 other citizens who have been proven that were not in Albania on Election day. The same accusation has been filed also against Besim Bregu, Indrit Bici, Mehdi Lala, Agim Lala, Oriada Lala, Bujar Sula, and Qazim Lala, who were part of the voting centre commission 1336 0, in Shijak. Meanwhile, the citizens Bashkim Allushi, Jakup Bregu, Altin Lala, Kasem Lala, Kujtim Uruçi, Zyhra Lala and Qemal Domi, who were members of the voting commission centre nr. 1335 0 in Shijak, are accused of intentionally allowing citizens that had already voted, to cast the votes on behalf of 7 other citizens who were not residing in Albania during that period. Meanwhile, the Office declared that it had terminated the investigations for two other citizens who are now dead, that were suspected of having voted multiple times.
The investigation of the criminal proceeding was sent to the Durrës Prosecutor’s Office by the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK). According to various media analysts, SPAK decision to send the file to Durrës, did not help the final result of the investigation. Some of the episodes which were investigated were already made public, as being part of the infamous 339 File. After the decision of the Prosecutor’s Office, the media immediately highlighted that none of the politicians accused by the opposition as involved in the manipulation of the last elections was charged.
