TIRANA, Albania — Former Albanian President Ilir Meta and his former wife, current MP Monika Kryemadhi, have been formally indicted by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) on charges of corruption, money laundering, and concealment of assets—marking one of the most politically explosive cases since the country’s post-communist transition.
Meta, a central figure in Albanian politics for over two decades, was officially notified of the charges earlier this week after more than eight months in pretrial detention. Kryemadhi, also a former leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI)—now renamed the Party of Freedom—was summoned for questioning and confirmed to the media that she, too, had been declared an official defendant.
The indictment stems from a lengthy investigation that SPAK says uncovered systemic abuse of public office, illegal financial transactions, and undeclared assets tied to a series of high-profile deals. Among them: the controversial CEZ-DIA energy dispute, a telecommunications contract involving the state regulatory agency AKEP, undeclared U.S. lobbying payments, and suspicious real estate purchases.
A Political Heavyweight Brought Down
Ilir Meta’s fall from grace is notable not only for its legal implications but also for what it represents politically. A fixture in Albanian politics since the early 2000s, Meta has served in nearly every top government position—Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, and most recently, President (2017–2022). His role in forming governing coalitions made him a perennial “kingmaker” in the country’s turbulent political landscape.
In 2009, his then-party LSI allied with the center-right Democratic Party, enabling it to form a government. Just four years later, Meta switched sides, throwing his support behind the Socialists and helping usher Edi Rama to power—a coalition that marked the beginning of Rama’s still-ongoing rule.
Charges and Allegations
The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SPAK) alleges that Ilir Meta abused his public office to channel millions of euros through corrupt schemes for personal and political gain, often involving close associates. One of the central allegations concerns the CEZ-DIA affair, in which Meta is accused of unlawfully influencing an arbitration process in exchange for significant bribes and favorable outcomes for a particular party.
In another case dating back to 2014, Meta and his former wife, Monika Kryemadhi, allegedly used their political influence over state institutions and telecom operators to facilitate the entry of a foreign company into the fiber-optic infrastructure market. According to SPAK, this intervention brought the couple direct financial benefits, including undeclared credit cards and covert payments. SPAK also highlights undisclosed lobbying contracts in the United States, signed by Meta between 2016 and 2017. Prosecutors claim that at least $463,000 was funneled through shell companies and never reported to the Central Election Commission, in violation of Albania’s transparency laws. Investigators also point to a €310,000 luxury apartment in Tirana, registered under Kryemadhi’s mother’s name, which was allegedly purchased with illicit funds. A formal bank loan was reportedly used to conceal the true source of the money. Finally, SPAK accuses Meta and Kryemadhi of hiding significant medical expenses — totaling over €100,000, with approximately €86,000 paid in cash between 2013 and 2019 — further supporting claims of undeclared income and financial misconduct.SPAK prosecutors allege that Meta used his position to channel millions of euros through corrupt dealings. The indictment also implicates former regulatory officials like Pirro Xhixho, suggesting a broader network of political patronage and misuse of public office.
Meta: “This is Political Theater”
From behind bars, Meta responded via a Facebook post, calling the case a “fabricated farce” and describing SPAK as an instrument of Prime Minister Rama’s political vendetta.
“This is not justice, but a political operation disguised as legality,” Meta wrote. “I will prove my innocence in open court.”
His lawyer, Kujtim Cakrani, echoed this sentiment, claiming the charges were timed to coincide with the conclusion of Albania’s recent elections and suggesting that key witnesses had been selectively shielded from prosecution. Kryemadhi, speaking to reporters after her questioning at SPAK, reiterated that the accusations were recycled and politically motivated, first appearing in preliminary reports last October.
The post Former President Meta Faces Corruption Charges in Politically Sensitive Case appeared first on Tirana Times.
