Former Deputy Prime Minister of Albania Arben Ahmetaj took to his Facebook account to deny accusations of transferring 1.8 million euros to a bank in Switzerland and denounced the searches conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation in his properties.
“Today, family members of mine aged 82 and below became subject to reprisal. Furthermore, their cellphones were seized, in search of evidence for ‘incinerators’. Meanwhile ‘spin doctor’ circulated the fake news that 1.8 million euros have been transferred… Instead of dealing with incinerators’ funds, they deal with imaginary 1.8 million euros. Fake news provided in labs of media partnership of incinerators and not only…” Ahmetaj wrote on his Facebook post.
In an earlier interview to Euronews Albania this Tuesday, journalist Poli Hoxha revealed that SPAK investigators in collaboration with FBI agents, have discovered three major transfers made from Albanian banks to a bank account of Ahmetaj’s partner in Switzerland.
According to his sources, three transfers were made to a bank account in Credit Suisse, belonging to Arben Ahmetaj’s partner.
“For the first time, through FBI agents who are in Albania, money is being followed. We are in for a big surprise. Account numbers have been discovered in collaboration with international partners. Three big transfers of 600 and 750 thousand euros from two banks in Albania, which go straight to an account of Ahmetaj’s partner in Lugano, Switzerland. The code of the account contains A69, A corresponds to Arben and 69 to his year of birth. The account belongs to Ahmetaj’s partner. One of the transfers was sent back, but passed through another bank. Besides the seizure of his villas, the investigation has gone further into money transfer. This way of investigating has been extended for everyone who has been involved in monstrous corruption in Albania,” the journalist stated.
Arben Ahmetaj is currently under investigation for passive corruption, concealment of assets, and money laundering. He is the highest-ranking official ever faced with the measure of arrest in Albania.
Early this morning, the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) conducted searches at the coastal residence of Arben Ahmetaj and his partner in Hamallaj, as well as his apartment in Tirana.
The Albanian Parliament voted on July 14 to lift Arben Ahmetaj’s immunity as a member of the parliament, paving the way for his arrest, as well as searches in his properties.
117 deputies, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, voted in favor of SPAK’s request to arrest Ahmetaj, while three deputies who were present at that meeting, abstained.
After voting in favor of lifting Ahmetaj’s immunity, Prime Minister Edi Rama declared it is now up to the justice institutions to thoroughly investigate and conclude whether Ahmetaj is guilty or not.
The Prime Minister reminded that the Socialist Party will not tolerate anyone who abuses their position for personal benefits.
According to Ahmetaj’s lawyer Henrik Ligori, the former Deputy Prime Minister is currently in Great Britain with his daughter, and will return to Albania when he believes “the truth will be revealed”.
