While an interview of the former deputy prime minister Arben Ahmetaj from the escape has been announced, for the journalist Çim Peka the next day, the move comes from the “Rama” government. It seems that the government has taken another step to “strip” Ahmetaj of all privileges, who has been announced in the investigation of the incinerators issue.
Top Channel journalist Muhamed Veliu has seen a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated January 30, 2024. The Directorate of Consular Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a request to all Albanian diplomatic missions and consulates in the world. It is announced that the diplomatic passport of Arben Ahmetaj, which was valid until 2033, was declared invalid and out of circulation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs bases the invalid issuance of Arben Ahmetaj’s diplomatic passport on the 2019 government decision on “Criteria for issuing diplomatic and service passports”. This move by the government comes just two weeks after Arben Ahmetaj’s place as deputy was replaced by Plarent Ndrecaj.
The former number two of the Albanian government has been charged by SPAK as suspected of corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets. In July of last year, the Assembly gave SPAK approval for the arrest of Ahmetaj, but he chose to leave Albania to escape the confrontation. At the end of last year, during a conversation with journalists, SPAK head Altin Dumani was asked about the person under investigation, Arben Ahmetaj, from where he stated that: “For us, Arben Ahmetaj is a person who is wanted internationally. I can’t say anything about the location information you’re looking for, we can’t share it here. He is being sought in relation to SPAK. It is a matter that is being investigated every day”, emphasized the number one of SPAK.
