The Independent Qualification Commission (KPK) has postponed the verdict on Serious Crime Prosecution Chief Donika Prela with a week, until February 5, because of “reasonable causes.” The brief notification, posted on the KPK’s website, did not provide further details.
The KPK only postponed a verdict once before. In November 2018, the KPK delayed the verdict of Ramadan Troci with a day because of the “nonformation of the panel of judges for reasonable causes.” Troci was later dismissed from his post as prosecutor.
Since Prela’s hearing on January 22, the KPK has faced criticism for its weak handling of her case, in contrast to the International Monitoring Operation, which pointed to several serious problems with her asset declarations.
In recent days, opposition MP Enkelejd Alibeaj has called for a thorough investigation of Prela, accusing her of meeting one of the judges on her panel, Valbona Sanxhaktari at the Serious Crimes Prosecution in December. If true, this would be an open conflict of interest.
Alibeaj also demanded an investigation of Prela’s role in the Avdylaj gang dossier. According to Alibeaj, whilst she was the head of the Durrës Prosecution Office, Prela was allegedly wiretapped in a phone call with the kingpin of the Avdulaj criminal gang, Astrit Avdulaj. At that time Avdulaj was under arrest for criminal possession of a weapon. He was later released.
Several other allegations weigh on Prela, as Exit has explained previously.
During the hearing with Prela, KPK member Valbona Sanxhaktari confirmed that they had received several complaints by citizens regarding Prela’s work as a prosecutor but they didn’t have time to go through them.
Prela’s husband appears to have not paid taxes for more than seven years while he was employed by Bruçi shpk construction company. Vangjel Prela’s employment was undeclared and he got his salary mostly in cash.
The Prelas bought as apartment in Durrës in 2007 for €32,000. They allegedly borrowed €15.000 from a relative, but there is no written document to prove it. The couple’s financial sources do no justify how they were able to pay for the apartment.
In 2013, the Prelas bought a piece of land in Petrela, Tirana, at a price ten times lower than the government’s reference price list for that year.
In 2014, the Prelas bought another apartment in Durrës beach for only €10,000, or at least three times lower than the average price in the same compound. There is no notarial act to confirm the down payment.
