Aqif Rakipi (PDIU) and Gledion Rehovica (LSI), two deputies whose mandates the Prosecution Office recently requested to be revoked, have also been indicted at the Serious Crimes Court.
Rakipi and Rehovica are accused by the Decriminalization Directorate of the Prosecution Office that they have falsified their decriminalization self-declaration forms and hidden their criminal past.
From a comparison of the fingerprints of both deputies with the Interpol database, it turns out that the deputies have donned different identities in Italy, under which they were convicted.
According to documents secured by media outlet OraNews, Gledion Rehovica has been convicted for theft in Italy in 1999 under the name Kusta Mina.
Also Aqif Rakipi has been convicted in Italy, in 1998, for theft, under the name Skënder Ejylbegaj.
The effects of the decriminalization law
If the KQZ accepts the revocation of Rakipi’s and Rehovica’s mandates, the total number of politicians affected so far by the decriminalization law since its promulgation in December 2015 will be 7.
In September 2015 deputy Arben Ndoka (PS) gave up his mandate before the Central Election Committee (KQZ) could revoke it, after it was discovered he had hidden a conviction in Italy.
In December 2016, the KQZ revoked the mandates of deputies Dashamir Tahiri (PDIU) and Shkëlqim Selami (LSI) and Kavaja Mayor Elvis Rroshi (PS), all with previous convictions in Italy.
In February 2017, deputy Armando Prenga (PS) gave up his mandate before the KQZ could decide to do so. Also he had a criminal past.
Several other requests of the Prosecution Office to revoke mandates of politicians under the decriminalization law were rejected by the KQZ: Deputies Tom Doshi (PS), Vladimir Kosta (PS), mayors Tërmet Peçi (PS) and Adriatik Zotkaj (PS), and former deputy Spartak Braho (LSI) were all allowed to keep their seats in Parliament.
