From: Alice Taylor
Interior Minister Says Government is Doing its Best Not to Use Illicit Funds to Finance Election Campaign

The Minister of Interior, Sander Lleshaj stated that the government is doing its best not to use drug money by criminal organizations during the election campaign in 2021.

Earlier this month, the Central Election Commissions Chief Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi acknowledged the presence of ‘dirty money’ in the financing of political parties.

“We should not have the illusion that the political party money relationship will be transparent. The CEC cannot verify where this money comes from and its origin,” he said on “In a Few Words” on Euronews.

He added that there is not full transparency and it’s important that rules are followed. Money should come from honest and legitimate businesses, he said, not the underworld.

When asked to clarify, Celibashi said that to date, the CEC has not sent a single political party to the prosecutor’s office for offences related to illegal financing

In a meeting with police leaders in Shkodra, Lleshaj also claimed that this year larger quantities of drugs were seized than last year and the drugs seized by the Italian authorities is much less than before.