The Democratic Party (PD) has demanded the Special Anti-corruption Prosecution Office (SPAK) to launch investigations into six Socialist Party (PS) ministers and (former) mayors in relation to the November 26 earthquake that left 51 dead.
The Socialist Party officials are:
- Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj
- Minister of Interior Sandër Lleshaj
- Mayor of Kruja Artur Bushi
- Former Mayor of Durrës Vangjush Dako
- Former Mayor of Durrës Valbona Sako
- Minister of Education Besa Shahini
The opposition has requested investigations on possible charges of abuse of power, involuntary manslaughter, violation of equality for participants in public tenders, and passive corruption.
The PD claims that the main cause of deaths for the 24 inhabitants of the two collapsed apartment blocks in Thumanë was the Municipality of Kruja allowing them to enter the buildings after the September earthquake, even though they were heavily damaged.
The opposition accused Minister Lleshaj of failing to order the closure of a government building in Durres damaged in the September earthquake, where a police officer died in the November earthquake.
Several schools were heavily damaged in the last earthquake, although the Municipality of Tirana had recently reconstructed them. The PD holds Mayor Erion Veliaj responsible of corrupt public tenders awarded to companies that have done works of low quality and endangered the lives of thousands of kids.
Similar suspicions are raised against the rest of the PS high officials in the opposition’s request to SPAK.
