Former Albanian President Arrested on Corruption Charges

Ilir Meta, Albania’s former president and a staunch opponent of Prime Minister Edi Rama, was arrested on Monday in Tirana on charges of corruption and money laundering, as confirmed by the special prosecutor’s office.

Meta’s party condemned the arrest, labeling it a “criminal kidnapping.” The 55-year-old politician, who served as president from 2017 to 2022, was taken into custody upon returning to Tirana from a visit to Kosovo.

The prosecutor stated that Meta, along with his ex-wife Monika Kryemadhi and other public figures, is under investigation for various criminal offenses, including “passive bribery of a senior official,” “money laundering,” and “false declaration of assets.” Some allegations date back to his tenure as Minister of Economy from 2010 to 2011, while others are more recent.

Albanian media published images of police officers escorting Meta from his car to a police special forces van. An AFP photographer observed him leaving a police station in the afternoon to be transferred to jail. Kryemadhi, 50, an MP from Meta’s Freedom Party, has not been arrested but must regularly report to the judicial police.

In a public statement, Kryemadhi dismissed the charges against her and her ex-husband as politically motivated. If convicted, the allegations could lead to up to 12 years in prison under Albanian law.

The prosecution indicated that investigations are ongoing regarding other individuals believed to be involved in this criminal activity, noting international cooperation from the United States, Austria, Italy, San Marino, and Cyprus.

Earlier on Monday, Tedi Blushi, secretary-general of Meta’s political party, described the arrest as a “criminal kidnapping.” Former Prime Minister and current opposition leader Sali Berisha, who is himself under house arrest for a corruption investigation, stated at a press conference that “the persecution of Ilir Meta is political.”

Once allied with Rama, Meta has since aligned himself with Berisha, accusing Rama of leading a “kleptocratic regime” and concentrating all legislative, administrative, and judicial powers.

A veteran of the Albanian political landscape, Meta has held various high-ranking positions since the fall of communism in 1991, including serving as Prime Minister (1999-2002), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009-2010), Minister of Economy (2010-2011), and Speaker of Parliament (2013-2017), before becoming President in April 2017, a largely ceremonial role.