Former Albanian President Ilir Meta appeared before the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) this Tuesday to be questioned as a suspect in an ongoing investigation.
Meta’s lawyer, Genc Gjokutaj, provided details following the two-hour testimony. He confirmed that prosecutors focused on Meta’s alleged lobbying activities in the United States.
“Questions were raised regarding the lobbying case,” Gjokutaj stated. “Meta was cooperative and provided clarifications. He chose engagement over silence, addressing the issues head-on. He also requested information from prosecutors concerning the McGonigal case and the incinerator affair.”
Meta, who currently serves as the leader of the Freedom Party, was arrested on October 21, 2023, by order of SPAK. The investigation into Meta includes allegations of asset concealment, corruption, and money laundering. He remains in custody after the Special Anti-Corruption Court ruled in favor of pretrial detention.
According to case files released earlier, SPAK alleges that:
- In 2016-2017, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), the party Meta led at the time, made undeclared payments totaling $369,785 to lobbying firm GSIS LLC.
- In 2017, LSI made additional undeclared payments of $100,000 through Dorelita Limited, an intermediary between LSI and the lobbying firm McKEON Group.
The source of the funds used to finance these lobbying and consulting contracts remains undisclosed, in violation of legal requirements.
This case continues to unfold as one of the most significant investigations into high-level political figures in Albania.
