Albania’s former president arrested on corruption allegations

Albania’s former President Ilir Meta was arrested by police on Monday over money-laundering allegations, his spokesperson said.

Meta, who leads the left-wing opposition Freedom Party, was arrested in the capital Tirana as he was returning from Kosovo, according to local TV.

The spokesperson, Tedi Blushi, told a press conference the arrest had been “inappropriate” and would “be condemned by all patriotic and honest Albanians.”

Blushi was referring to images published by local media showing masked police stopping a car, removing Meta, who appeared to resist, and escorting him to a police special forces van.

“This government will pay the price in every street and in every square,” Blushi said when asked if there would be protests following the arrest.

According to local media, Meta is accused of corruption, money laundering and hiding his wealth. The arrest followed an order from the office of the Special Prosecutor for Corruption (SPAK).

Meta, 55, served as president from 2017 until 2022 and previously as prime minister and speaker of parliament. He became president with the support of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling Socialist Party.

The relationship between Meta and Rama subsequently deteriorated, however, with the Socialists trying to oust the president twice during his term in office — once in 2019 for refusing to call local elections after an opposition boycott, and again in 2021 for interfering in general elections.

Meta isn’t the only opposition politician facing criminal charges.

Last month, the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, was indicted on corruption charges for actions he took as prime minister. Berisha also denies wrongdoing.

The Democratic Party, the largest opposition force, has accused Rama of orchestrating prosecutions of its members, which Rama denies. On Sept. 30 Berisha’s supporters set fire to chairs outside the parliament to protest the sentencing of another party colleague, Ervin Salianji, to a year in prison for making a false report.