Press Release

Durrës Prosecution Office has primarily initiated criminal proceedings for three criminal offenses: 'Abuse of office', 'Destruction of property by flooding', and 'Destruction of property due to negligence', as foreseen in Articles 153, 161, and 248 of the Criminal Code, following the floods that occurred on several roads in the city of Durrës and the surrounding areas.

The created situation, which caused severe disruptions to the normal functioning of educational, government, and healthcare services, blocked both urban and interurban roads, flooded homes, and posed a serious risk to the lives of citizens, along with the flooding of the penitentiary institution and the placement of the entire district under a state of emergency within the jurisdiction of the Durrës Prosecutor's Office, provides sufficient and reasonable grounds to conclude that we are dealing with a criminal matter.

Additionally, referring the information available so far, it is suspected that the death of citizen A.H., an employee of the Beach Municipal Enterprise, was caused by this situation. Preliminary reports suggest that he may have lost his life after being swept away by the floodwaters in the area.

Given the situation, and to thoroughly investigate the causes behind these consequences, it will be determined whether they were entirely natural or resulted from negligence or failure to fulfil duties by the relevant state authorities or local government bodies, it was decided to initiate this criminal proceeding. Further investigation will provide conclusive findings regarding the existence, or lack, of criminal responsibility.