Albanian ex-president Ilir Meta arrested for alleged corruption

The former Albanian president Ilir Meta was forcefully arrested in Tirana by the Special Prosecutor’s for Corruption (SPAK) on alleged corruption charges.

Meta is under investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering and hiding personal income and property, that is according to his laywer Genc Gjokutaj.

Local media released footage from Meta’s arrest, who was on his way back to Tirana from neighbouring Kosovo ahead of holding a news conference. The video shows masked police officers forcefully dragging the ex-president from his vehicle.

Meta is the leader of Albania’s left-wing Freedom Party, and served as the country’s president from 2017 until 2022.

Meta has been a vocal opponent of the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama, accusing it of running a “kleptocratic regime” and concentrating all legislative, administrative and judiciary powers in Rama’s hands.

On social media platform X, Ilir Meta says his “abduction today in the most bandit-like manner revelas the panic of the dictatorial regime when faced with the truth,” and adds “I have full faith in my complete innocence.”

The party’s secretary-general, Tedi Blushi, called it “a criminal kidnapping.” Meta’s lawyer also condemned the way the politician was arrested.

“He was abducted on the road just as gangs do,” Gjokutaj said. He adds that “the behaviour shown towards him was extremely against the law.”

It is not the first time the ex-president has been under investigation by SPAK. He was previously investigated for alleged illegal lobbying in the United States, and him and his former wife were also investigated on allegations of hiding their personal wealth.

Gjokutaj said the arrest was politically motivated, and believes Prime Minister Edi Rama and the head of SPAK Altin Dumani are involved in formulating the decision of his arrest.

The president of the Democratic Party Salji Beriša mirrors this sentiment and said Meta’s arrest was orchestrated by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who “seeks to hit his political opponents”.

Corruption has marred Albanian politics since the fall of Communism in the 90s, hindering the country’s democratic, economic and social development.