Press Release

General Prosecutor's Office, with the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance, signed a Cooperation Agreement to fight informal economy.

Under this Agreement, signed on Thursday (dated 09.17.2015), the institutions reconcile their commitments to achieve the formalization in the economic market.
General Prosecutor, Mr. Adriatik Llalla, at the signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement, said:
“General Prosecutor's Office appreciates the signing of the Inter-institutional Cooperation Agreement, where the main objective is fighting informal economy.

The Prosecution Office is included in this agreement on the basis of a well-defined platform, which relies also in such venture in the past. About two years ago, along with several other institutions, we were part of a deal for the punishment of illegalities in the energy market. At the end of many investigations carried out resulted that in some cases citizens and businesses which had stolen electricity did not execute the illegal process alone, but with the support of public employees who had the duty to guard and maintain the electrical network and to collect the income in favor of the state for the electricity consumed.

Setting of the criminal responsibility of the defendants, their punishment for the illegal actions committed, publicizing the violations committed and their punitive measures, among other things this served as a preventive example to anyone who would violate the law will be punished for the actions committed.
Even in this case, the inter-institutional operation against informal economy, it is clear that businesses that have committed or commit tax evasion cannot make it without the support of tax or customs officers.

In this perspective, to have a much more complete success, the Prosecution Office sees its role in fighting crime offenses committed by both the business, as well as public officials who do not perform their duty of controlling and collecting revenues which belongs to the state. Their punishment and disclosure of offenses and punitive measures will serve, among other things, as a preventive measure for other businesses and also for public employees from committing illegal acts in the future, because they will be punished according to law. Only in this way we will prove equality under the law for everyone and I am sure that the heads of other institutions share the same belief.

On the basis of today's Agreement, Prosecution Offices, among other, undertakes to orient correctly the groups to verify in field the criminal cases. During the cooperation in the field, can be identified the cases when tax evasion affect the economy of the country and is needed the intervention of the force of law. It is important to understand that should be a proportional relation between the criminal measures and offense committed. This is provided by the legislator and all the institutions are obliged to apply the norms of proportionality. Institutions should understand that besides strengthening the legitimacy, must respect the human and business rights. As a public institution, we have the obligation to exercise functions in improving the lives of citizens and equality among them. On the other hand, the Prosecution Office serves as a guarantor in respecting the law by the public officials.

Prosecutor General's Office is of the opinion that the business is the main partner of the state. This has to be reflected in our daily activities, convincing with legal arguments the importance of the full formalization of economy. This communication should dominate during the joint working against informal economy. In cases when the communication will not be effective, due to businesses evasion or officials not fulfilling their duty, the law enforcement institutions will put the proper legal and criminal mechanisms.”