DASH reacts to VOA after the arrest of Meta: the US supports SPAK's efforts

2024-10-23 07:35:00, Aktualitet CNA

The US says it supports SPAK's efforts against high-level corruption. Washington's position was expressed in a response from the US State Department on Tuesday evening, to a request by the Voice of America to comment after the arrest of the former President of Albania, Ilir Meta.

"We are aware of the arrest. We refer you to the Albanian authorities for further details regarding the case. The United States supports Albania's progress toward the rule of law, including SPAK's efforts to prosecute high-level corruption and organized crime, in accordance with the law," a State Department spokesperson said in response to the interest of Voice of America.

The former President of the Republic and the chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta, was arrested on Monday by order of the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime.

The SPAK declared Ilir Meta a person under investigation under suspicion of passive corruption, non-declaration and concealment of assets as well as money laundering, as well as imposed the mandatory appearance measure for Monika Kryemadhi, as well as house arrest for Pirro Xixho and mandatory appearance for Ema Chokun.

Defense lawyer Genc Gjokutaj told the media after the meeting with Mr. Meta in the security environment, that the accusations are unfounded and the arrest was made for political purposes.

Other opposition politicians described the action as a political attack by Prime Minister Edi Rama on the opposition.

Mr. Meta, his ex-wife Monika Kryemadhi, Mr. Xixho and the lady are expected to appear before the court tomorrow in a session where the security measures against them will be examined.

In addition to the accusations by SPAK against Mr. Meta, reactions continued on Tuesday about how the former president of the Republic was stopped on Monday at noon by the police, who described the incident as "kidnapping in banditry".

But the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ervin Hoxha, stated on social networks that the operational driving force, specialized in bans according to the standards, during the implementation of the court's decision, encountered a subject who strongly objected to submit to the Court's decision, as soon as he received know about it.

SPAK detailed on Monday in a public announcement that Ilir Meta and Monika Kryemadhi, in collaboration with themselves and other public officials, allegedly committed passive corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets in a series of episodes, starting from about 15 years ago./ Voa