The Albanian Parliament voted on Thursday in favor of the Special Prosecution Office of Albania (SPAK) request to lift the immunity of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, paving the way for his arrest on suspicion of corruption.
Prosecutors urged lawmakers last week to lift Berisha’s parliamentary immunity because he had not complied with the order to report to SPAK every two weeks and not leave the country while under investigation for corruption.
With 75 votes in favor, the Parliament approved the request to lift Berisha’s parliamentary immunity on Thursday.
In October, SPAK announced that Berisha is accused of corruption in a case involving his son-in-law, Jamarbër Malltezi, related to the illegal privatization of the Partizani sports complex.
The opposition attempted to obstruct the vote by throwing smoke grenades in the parliamentary session, which was secured by a large number of security guards, while protesters outside the Parliament building opposed the decision.
Speaking during the protest near the Parliament, Berisha called the decision unconstitutional.
“The anti-democratic Parliament voted against every constitutional and legal procedure for the removal of my immunity and my arrest. This decision will not destroy the opposition, but it will mobilize it to the highest level with the motto: ‘today or never’, and will give the most deserved answer to this regime,” said Berisha.
The Democratic Party, through a statement to the media, expressed that the deputies of this party remain determined to support SPAK and the removal of immunity for any person requested by the judiciary.
“This is an established standard and will always be followed by the Democratic Party and its deputies. The abnormal functioning of parliamentary sessions prevented the participation and voting of the Democratic Party parliamentary group in favor of lifting the immunity for Deputy Sali Berisha,” the statement said.
“The Democratic Party deputies will never be part of scenarios prepared by Edi Rama and Sali Berisha to use them as an argument to escape justice. They did everything to block and disable justice but failed,” the statement continued.
According to the Democratic Party, the shameful performance that the Rama-Berisha duo offers every Thursday to Albanians, the lack of debate, and the blockage of parliamentary life are acts that serve a failed government and an opposition segment that together tries to escape justice.
“The Democratic Party is determined to support SPAK and thorough, fair investigations for all government officials or former government officials who have abused the trust of Albanians and appropriated their wealth,” the statement concludes.
Meanwhile, the Parliament will inform the prosecutors about today’s decision, and it is then expected that they will address the court regarding the measures against Berisha.
On Monday, the Parliament’s Mandate Committee brought the request to lift Berisha’s immunity to a vote at the request of prosecutors.
What Berisha is accused of
Berisha, 79 years old, was accused in October of abusing his position to help his son-in-law, Jamarbër Malltezi, buy land in Tirana owned by citizens and the Ministry of Defense, as well as to construct 17 residential buildings on that land.
Berisha and Malltezi have denied the charges, claiming that the case against them is politically motivated by the ruling party of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the Socialist Party.
Since October, opposition Democratic Party deputies have continuously obstructed Parliament sessions to prevent what they call the highly authoritarian rule of the Socialists.
Berisha served as the Prime Minister of Albania from 2005 to 2013 and as President from 1992 to 1997.
The United States in May 2021 and the United Kingdom in July 2022 banned Berisha and his close family members from traveling to these countries due to suspicions of his involvement in corruption.
