Albania assembly sacks prosecutor

Albania’s parliament voted on Monday to dismiss the country’s prosecutor-general. The move came after he was accused of infringing the constitution and failing to produce results in the fight against crime. Albania assembly sacks prosecutor An investigative commission’s report blamed Theodhori Sollaku for the unlawful release of 22 convicted criminals and for failing to cooperate with international law enforcement agencies. It also accused Sollaku of a lack of will in pursuing serious criminal cases related to corruption or organized crime. Sollaku reacted to the decision by calling it a “coup d’etat against Albanian institutions.” Parliament voted by 77 votes to 37 to sack the controversial prosecutor-general. The commission, controlled by Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party, PD, had been boycotted by opposition parties. Sollaku’s fate rests with President Bamir Topi who needs to endorse the decision before it can take effect. The governing center-right coalition first established a parliamentary investigative commission last year to try to remove Sollaku, but former President Alfred Moisiu refused to approve his dismissal, insisting that the commission had not gathered sufficient evidence to justify the prosecutor-general's removal. Moisiu was succeeded by Topi, a former deputy head of the PD, in July, and he is widely expected to ratify parliament’s decision to oust the prosecutor-general. A new report by the European Commission lists corruption and organized crime as among the major obstacles that Albania faces in its integration process with the European Union.

Albania assembly sacks prosecutor

An investigative commission’s report blamed Theodhori Sollaku for the unlawful release of 22 convicted criminals and for failing to cooperate with international law enforcement agencies.

It also accused Sollaku of a lack of will in pursuing serious criminal cases related to corruption or organized crime.

Sollaku reacted to the decision by calling it a “coup d’etat against Albanian institutions.”

Parliament voted by 77 votes to 37 to sack the controversial prosecutor-general.

The commission, controlled by Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party, PD, had been boycotted by opposition parties.

Sollaku’s fate rests with President Bamir Topi who needs to endorse the decision before it can take effect.

The governing center-right coalition first established a parliamentary investigative commission last year to try to remove Sollaku, but former President Alfred Moisiu refused to approve his dismissal, insisting that the commission had not gathered sufficient evidence to justify the prosecutor-general's removal.

Moisiu was succeeded by Topi, a former deputy head of the PD, in July, and he is widely expected to ratify parliament’s decision to oust the prosecutor-general.

A new report by the European Commission lists corruption and organized crime as among the major obstacles that Albania faces in its integration process with the European Union.