Electoral crimes, Lala: In Elbasan, even if you don't sell your vote, they will take it with a hammer to the head

The show "The Unexposed" discusses the electoral crimes of the campaign for the May 11 parliamentary elections.

According to journalists Klodiana Lala and Xhevahir Zhabina, the police have 19 cases under investigation, 18 of which were initiated by them and one case delegated by SPAK, while the latter has brought the number of criminal proceedings to 30.

Excerpt from the conversation

Klodiana Lala: Two figures, which are official from the police and SPAK. Crimes in the electoral field, the police have 19 cases under investigation, 18 of which were initiated by them and one case delegated by SPAK. It concerns three forces, the SP with the largest number, the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party of Tom Doshi. Of these, there are criminal offenses, corruption in elections, we have the case of Lushnja with 500 thousand lek. We have cases of abuse of office, giving rewards in exchange for votes and using public office in elections.

The data will then be updated the next day and we will have another bulletin.

SPAK has increased the number of criminal proceedings to 30. The prosecution also has a portal where complaints go directly. These cases will yield results, but I think after the elections because they are in progress. If the money and the momentum are not seized, it is difficult to raise the criminal offense of corruption.

We have prosecutors in all 12 regions, who are distributed and function as a task force for the investigation of electoral crime. I have been waiting a lot in this regard. The results must be awaited. The DP has the right to talk about vote buying, but in the end it depends on the criminal prosecution and the number of those punished, otherwise they remain simply accusations from political forces.

Xhevahir Zhabina: We can focus on statistics for now. About 70 complaints have been filed with SPAK, 24 on the online platform that SPAK has, and of these complaints, 26 have been registered. Of these 26 proceedings, 7 are initiated by prosecutors. I have the impression that these are the most important proceedings that the special prosecution can have. It is difficult to obtain information at the moment. The results of the investigations of electoral crimes should come after the elections, or a few days before the elections, if there are flagrant cases. I think this will also be the success of SPAK if these proceedings are to have value. Electoral crime in Albania, when investigated, has been a failure, perhaps these are the elections that SPAK should seriously investigate and have results.

Klodiana Lala: The investigations that are mainly opened are data obtained through wiretapping, or from members of criminal groups. So by wiretapping another subject, data on electoral crimes can emerge. The greatest hope of investigators is these cases. You ask why there are no arrests. In order to prove an electoral crime, there will have to be a basis for reasonable suspicion, it will take time. We are ten days before the elections. It is the hottest phase, the prosecution will have more dough, to have concrete strikes.

Xhevahir Zhabina: The reports are from parties, the CEC, citizens. This is the way in which the reports are made. There are quite a few reports. There may have been even more in the past elections, but mainly from political entities.

Klodiana Lala: Let me give you an example. A few days ago I reported on the questioning of Mr. Arbjan Mazniku at the Tirana prosecutor's office. Mr. Mazniku was not directly denounced, it was Këllici who denounced Mr. Veliaj for a road. It took the prosecution two years. The prosecution only called him in for questioning after two years. Today, after Mr. Mazniku's testimony was taken, after two years, the file for SPAK is being prepared. So investigations that could start today could have an effect even later.

Durrës doesn't need it, it's like Colombia today. Elbasan too. Even if they don't sell their votes, they'll get them with a stick in the head. Time will tell, because somewhere there will be evidence. Do you remember file 184 and 339? Even when someone refuses, in Durrës, Shkodër, Elbasan, Fier, they are problematic, if there is no cooperation between citizens and institutions, the police and the prosecution are not asked.