Weekly report presented by the National Anti-Corruption Coordinator, the Minister of Justice Etilda Gjonaj:

In my capacity as the National Anti-Corruption Coordinator, in this weekly press statement, I want to underline the Albanian government resolve to fight against corruption and abuse of office is uncompromising.

On one hand, we deepen reforms, transform the sectors and make sure that all these changes will be of great benefit to citizens and help our efforts to improve life quality and services delivered to the citizens, while on the other hand we build and strengthen an alliance with the citizens to deal with any corruption practices.

Thanks to this alliance, the Anti-Corruption Task Force, over the past week, has carried out an inspection action at the Tax Investigation Directorate of the southern region of Fier to verify the implementation of the legal requirements on the conduct of economic and commercial activity by unregistered economic entities, storage, transportation, use and trade of goods without proper tax documentation as well as undeclared employees in the tax authority.

The Anti-Corruption Task inspection found various violations, including: Failure to specify in the Service Orders of the inspection area the list of subjects to be checked and the reason for the exercise of control; the selection which was carried out by the inspectors themselves without any legal, sub-legal or administrative act.

The inspection acts and respective reports on small business taxpayers have been compiled.

Acts of ascertainment that are accompanied by a tax coupon issued on a time that does not coincides with the inspection action itself.

The documents have been signed by inspectors who turn out to be not part of the inspectors’ team taking part in the inspection action according to the respective service order or discrepancies between the reference provided for in the legal framework and the value of the fine.

Given these violations, the Anti-Corruption Task Force has recommended disciplinary actions against 24 individuals for officials and inspectors of the regional Fier Tax Investigation Directorate.

The inspection teams have recommended;

Issuance of warning notice of termination of employment for 12 officials, including the head of the Tax Investigation Directorate of Fier region, 10 inspectors and a sector head;

In the meantime, based on a denunciation via the online Platform for co-governance with the citizen regarding the legalization an extension to a multi-storey building near the “Flamurtari” – Vlora stadium, the Anti-Corruption Task Force inspection team conducted last week an administrative inspection at the Regional Directorate of ALUIZNI and the Regional Directorate of the Immovable Property Registration Office in Vlora. Following the inspection, the Anti-Corruption Task Force has recommended dismissal and termination of employment for:

The Director of the ALUIZNI Regional Directorate in Vlora;

The Head of the Legalization Sector at the ALUIZNI Regional Directorate in Vlora;

A specialist of the Legalization Sector at the ALUIZNI Regional Directorate in Vlora;

The disciplinary measures were recommended after the inspection teams found that the aforesaid officials have failed to comply with the procedures and requirements set forth in the existing legal framework on collection and administration of the required legal and technical documentation to justify the decision on issuance of the legalization permit for the illegal construction.

By legalizing the extension to an existing building, the officials have violated the provisions of the law on the cultural heritage and museums.

The anti-corruption structures at the State Police over the past week have discovered 13 corruption practices and charges have been raised against 33 suspects, with 10 of them being held in custody, while 23 others released on bail.

The teams tasked with investigating corruption practises have concluded the investigation actions and have referred the case to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The continuous outcomes of the inspection actions carried out by the anti-corruption structures and other law enforcement agencies are concrete and tangible.

The direct communication with the citizens via the online co-governance platform, the immediate response to any legal denunciation or complaint, is increasing the number of concrete case reports and making the work of anti-corruption structures more effective.

Therefore, we will continue with perseverance and confidence to invite all citizens to become part of this great battle for the rule of law through their denunciations and information provided via the platform of co-governance with the citizens ‘Albania We Want”.

Thank you!