2024: A turning Point in SPAK’s war on political impunity

For Albania, this year will be remembered as the one when politics faced its toughest clash with justice. Led by SPAK (Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime), the battle against corruption in politics marked a turning point in ending impunity and rebuilding public trust. These achievements are historic, and 2024 should definitely be recognized as SPAK’s year.

For much of its 33 years of democracy, impunity was Albania's greatest problem. Combined with political arrogance, it fostered the belief that politics was a realm beyond the reach of justice, reserved only for those who were untouchable.

SPAK’s commitment to tackling corruption and organized crime, along with its efforts to use evidence from encrypted apps like SKY and EncroChat in court, has set a new standard. This has helped distance Albanian society from criminal networks and created conditions for political reform.

In holding corrupt politicians accountable, SPAK has shown that there is a system for investigating their assets. However, focusing only on their wealth rather than their public responsibilities can lead to selective justice.

High-profile cases, like those of Arben Ahmetaj, Sali Berisha, Ilir Meta, Ilir Beqaj, and Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, have mostly involved their assets or suspicious transactions. Yet, these investigations often fail to address their roles in public office. A more comprehensive approach would consider their responsibilities in relation to their positions when charges are brought.

For example, Sali Berisha’s most significant abuse of power was his responsibility for the deaths of four protesters on January 21, 2011, during his tenure as prime minister. The same applies to Ilir Meta, whose actions in public office must be fully examined.

Arben Ahmetaj, former Deputy Prime Minister, was investigated over the waste incinerator scandal, but the focus was only on an unexplained property. Similarly, Ilir Beqaj, former Health Minister, was investigated for a healthcare concession, but the case ended with his arrest over an unjustified restaurant bill.

While investigating politicians for unexplained wealth is important, focusing only on assets results in selective justice. A fairer solution would be for Parliament to pass a law requiring all politicians to undergo vetting, including scrutiny of their wealth and their public responsibilities.

Concurrently, the vetting process for judges and prosecutors has focused on whether they can justify their assets. However, this process was meant to evaluate their professional performance as well. A judge or prosecutor should be removed for incompetence, breaking the law, or engaging in financial misconduct—not just for asset discrepancies. This focus on wealth is becoming a pattern for politicians too.

While investigating wealth is valid, the vetting process should be consistent for all. SPAK, on the other hand, should be given the resources to investigate politicians' public responsibilities as well.

To ensure fairness, all politicians should be held to the same investigative standards, with mandatory appearances before prosecutors until their trial concludes. Pre-trial arrests may please the public, but they do not serve justice. They simply place it under political pressure.

SPAK and the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime will work more effectively when politicians are not imprisoned during the process, as this could turn legal proceedings into a political fight.

Furthermore, thanks to SPAK, Albania has begun to dismantle the myth of impunity in politics and restore public trust in the justice system. Now that this battle is underway, Albania must strengthen its justice standards and establish precedents for future cases. For example, sentencing politicians responsible for the deaths of protesters would set a reference for future trials.

Similarly, there should be clear standards for punishing politicians who breach public trust, creating a model for the future.

These standards will not only eliminate impunity but also deliver real justice. SPAK’s efforts will serve not only as a punitive measure but also as a long-term strategy to establish justice in the country.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Viti i betejës së SPAK-ut me pandëshkueshmërinë e politikës"