Albania – Prosecutors Seize Several Assets of Former General Prosecutor Adriatik Llalla

Tirana, Albania | July 23 (Tirana Echo) – Several properties of Albania’s former General Prosecutor Adriatik Llalla have been seized by a Serious Crimes Court decision following an investigation on the former top prosecutor over money laundering.

The news was confirmed in a statement by Tirana’s Serious Crimes Prosecutors which is investigating Llalla for money laundering activities.

“As a result of our investigation, we have reasonable doubts that several assets of Mr. Adriatik Llalla are subject of the penal crime.” – read the statement.

A measure of preventive seizure have been placed on an apartment of 67m² owned by Mr. Llalla in Durrës as well as over 22,000 m² of agricultural land in Tirana, estimated at a market value of 98.772.000 Albanian Lekë or the equivalent of $1m USD.

Mr. Llalla, known for its conflictual relationship with departing US Ambassador Donald Lu due to his reluctance to prosecute high profile politicians in corruption infested Albania, has been accused for hampering a US backed justice reform in the small Balkan country.

Earlier on in the year, Llalla was publicly designated by former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act due to his involvement in significant corruption, banning him and his family to enter the United States.

Llalla ended his duty as General prosecutor last December and immediately after, used the provision provided by the new vetting law not to re-enter the justice system of the country. The provision allows former judges and prosecutors to escape the vetting procedures put in place to scan the entire judging and prosecuting body of Albania, as part of the milestone justice reform.

According to Albania’s current General prosecutor Arta Marku, the former general prosecutor may face corruption charges following an investigation into delays of investigations and money laundering.

The Albanian Government is under heavy pressure to deliver on its justice reform and put corrupt officials behind bars before it can enter any formal membership talks with the European Union next year.