Press Release

New members of the Council of the Prosecution were elected
General Prosecutor: Give your contribution to the anti-corruption within the institution

After a strong race of candidates, prosecutors’ body voted to reformat the Council of the Prosecution, to the main consultative structure of the General Prosecutor on recruitment, transfer and processing of prosecutors, as well as the drafting of laws, orders and instructions of the institution.

Under the direction of the General Prosecutor, Mr. Adriatik Llalla, all prosecutors of the Republic of Albania expressed their support by secret ballot for the election of five of seven members of the Prosecutorial Council, which were vacant at the end of the three-year mandate of the previous members.

In reliance to Article 11 of Law no.8737, dated 02.12.2001 “On the organization and functioning of the Prosecution Office in the Republic of Albania”, (as amended), the Prosecutorial Council consists of seven members, three of whom are prosecutors in the Judicial Districts Prosecutor’s Office; two prosecutors from the Appellate Prosecution Office, one prosecutor from the General Prosecution Office, as well as a representative of the Ministry of Justice. In the process developed today (Friday, dt. 05.22.2015), prosecutors’ body was called to elect five members of Council, where two of them will be from the Judicial Districts Prosecutor’s Office, two from the Appellate Prosecution Office and one from the General Prosecution. Sixth member from the ranks of prosecutors, who comes from the ranks of the Judicial Districts Prosecutor’s Office, is currently in the middle of the mandate.

Before the voting of the new members, the General Prosecutor, Mr. Llalla expressed appraisal for the outgoing Prosecutorial Council, emphasizing, among other things, two of main commitment of this structure; annual evaluation process of prosecutors, which began in 2013, as well as the drafting of the Council of the Code of Ethics, a document that was approved later by the General Prosecutor, which provides ethical standards and strengthening of the prosecutors’ integrity, as well as penalties in case of violation thereof.

While regarding to the new Prosecutorial Council, Mr. Llalla suggested as a priority, “the maximum commitment to strengthen the integrity of the prosecutors’ body; to cooperate closely with the heads of Prosecution Offices and the Directorate of Inspection to identify violations in ranks of prosecutors and their penalization. Also, I would suggest to the Prosecutorial Council to be fully realistic at the periodic evaluation of prosecutors, but also to the leaders of the Prosecution Offices”.

General Prosecutor was direct at the prosecutors’ body, when he asked them first to strengthen the fight against corruption, including the institution itself. “Despite that the Prosecution Office is engaged in the fight against corruption and, in fact, there have been successful cases in this direction, however, every day we face the public perception of corruption in the judiciary, where this evaluation include also the Prosecution Office. Of course, we are prosecutors and we talk only based in evidences. However, we must recognize that the perception has not come out of nothing.

So, citizens are concerned because in many cases they do not find the right solution at Prosecution Offices. Moreover, there are cases where they claim that the end of the investigation from different prosecutors is based in financial values in the form of bribes. I reiterate that personally I am inclined to talk only on facts. But, in this period that I am leading the Albanian Prosecution Office, there are under the investigation or trial only two prosecutors for corruption and hiding property. And, we all must accept that this is not the reality.  Citizens talk and should definitely be heard.

For the public, in the Albanian Prosecution Office there are many others who have been involved in corruptive activities. We must prove that we are in their side, in any case”, said Mr. Llalla.
By assessing the Prosecutorial Council as a basic structure for strengthening integrity in the ranks of the institution, Mr. Llalla said that "this body, in collaboration with other structures, has a key role in strengthening the internal capacity and in affecting the Prosecution Office to give its real contribution to strengthen the rule of law. I personally hope that the new Prosecutorial Council to be up to the mark in giving this significant contribution to the institution and state," concluded the General Prosecutor.

In addition, prosecutors’ body voted for the election of five members, whose seats were declared vacant.
In the voting participated 287 prosecutors, where were elected from the ranks of the Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office, for the Prosecutorial Council members, the prosecutors;
1. Gentian Osmani, prosecutor at the Prosecution Office of Serious Crimes, with 189 votes
2. Ramadan Troci, prosecutor at the Prosecution Office of Vlora, with 129 votes
In race, in this Prosecution Office level were also the candidates Artan Madani, prosecutor at the Prosecution Office of Kavaja, who received 124 votes and Kudusi Shahu, prosecutor at the Prosecution office of Serious Crimes, who received 98 votes.

For vacant by the Appellate Prosecution Office’s representatives were elected
1. Dritan Peka, prosecutor at the Prosecutor of Appeal Tirana, with 179 votes
2. Irma Balli, a prosecutor in Korca Appeal Prosecution, with 128 votes
In race, in this Prosecution Office level were also the candidates Elvin Gokaj, prosecutor at the Appellate Prosecution Office of Shkodra, who received 112 votes and Pelivan Malaj, prosecutor at the Prosecution Office of Appeal Vlora, who received 102 votes.

For the vacant position from the representative of the General Prosecution Office, was elected
1.  Arben Dollapaj, with 221 votes
In race, in this Prosecution Office level had no other candidate.
At the meeting greeted also Mr. David Griese, the OPDAT representative, who stressed the importance of the role and integrity of prosecutors in strengthening the rule of law in Albania. OPDAT has given and continues to give an important contribution to the implementation of the Code of Ethics of the Albanian Prosecution Office.