The Independent Qualification Commission (KPK) decided to confirm Serious Crimes Prosecutor Anton Martini after it reviewed new allegations submitted against him.
The KPK panel included Genta Tafa Bungo, Etleda Çiftja and Pamela Qirko.
Martini is a candidate to the Special Anti-corruption Prosecution Office, which currently has only 8 of its 10 seats filled. He needs to pass the vetting process with a final decision before being part of SPAK.
The individual who made the allegations to the KPK claimed that Prosecutor Martini changed prosecutors of some ongoing investigations while he headed the Shkodra Prosecution Office.
The KPK found Martini had reassigned 10 of the 13 cases reviewed to the same prosecutor, in possible violation of procedures which require assigning cases by lot.
During his career, Prosecutor Martini was in charge of some cases that have attracted public attention.
He filed charges of treason and disclosure of state secrets against police officer Dritan Zagani, who had alleged Minister of Interior Saimir Tahiri’s involvement in drug trafficking. Dritan Zagani was kept in prison for several months through Martini’s charges until the Serious Crimes Court eventually dismissed them.
Moreover, the court ruled that Zagani could only be investigated for abuse of office and only by district prosecutors, not serious crime prosecutors.
Another questionable case investigated by Prosecutor Martini was that of the Mayor of Durres Vangjush Dako regarding his possible involvement in collusion with criminal gangs to manipulate the 2017 elections.
In his over-six-month-long investigation, Martini inexplicably failed to include as evidence the wiretaps in which Dako is heard discussing with criminals the favours and public works contracts he would provide them in exchange of votes secured for the ruling Socialist Party. The exclusion of this crucial evidence virtually destroyed the investigation which remains open, some three years later.
