{"id":20918,"date":"2021-09-24T10:53:14","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T08:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=20918"},"modified":"2021-09-24T15:46:48","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T13:46:48","slug":"court-to-retry-fatmir-mediu-over-gerdec-deadly-explosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/court-to-retry-fatmir-mediu-over-gerdec-deadly-explosion\/","title":{"rendered":"Court to retry Fatmir Mediu over Gerdec deadly explosion"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime accepted SPAK\u2019s request to reopen an investigation into former defense Fatmir Mediu and his involvement in the Gerdec explosion.<\/p>\n

Mediu was indicted on counts of abuse of office, as the blast at an old ammunitions\u2019 depot factory killed 26 people.<\/p>\n

However, the court dropped the case only one year after as Mediu had diplomatic immunity, gained from his status as a lawmaker at the time.<\/p>\n

The plea to reopen the trial was made by Zamira Durdaj, the mother of a minor who tragically died from the blast.<\/p>\n

Gerardo Durdaj, the brother of the 7-year-old boy who died while working at the old ammunition factory, told Euronews Albania that he was surprised by the verdict.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is only the first step. It\u2019s not about trusting it or not, it\u2019s about the new justice system which must convict a perpetrator that has been avoiding justice\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n

Two months ago, the First Instance of the Special Court overturned SPAK\u2019s request, arguing that legal deadlines had expired, as well as lack of new evidence.<\/p>\n

In addition, the court\u2019s argument was that Mediu did not have immunity since 2012, and the prosecution had 10 years to investigate the case.<\/p>\n

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