VOA: The murder in Pogradec brings the police, the opposition and the Ombudsman into controversy

2024-08-13 14:33:00, Aktualitet CNA

VOA: The murder in Pogradec brings the police, the opposition and the Ombudsman

Pogradec Police Station

42-year-old Eglantin Proga died on Saturday afternoon in Pogradec, according to Korca police "as a result of a conflict", while the tragic event has involved several institutions in controversy after suspicions of manipulation of facts in favor of the author.

The police of Korça announced that the law enforcement immediately went to the scene of the incident, set up the investigative team, seized the local cameras, accompanied several people who were present at the moment of the incident and performed all the first actions in order to investigate and document it. .

"The investigative team clarified the incident, identified and arrested the perpetrator as well as three other citizens for not reporting the crime," the police announcement states, which rejected suspicions that the police tried to manipulate or hide the incident.

Jonida Proga, the victim's sister, told the media that the brother was raped and left in the street for a long time in a serious condition, medical help was delayed while stressing that "the police moved too late" and that "the brother's life could have been saved with a faster medical intervention, which was prevented by police actions".

But the People's Advocate expressed "deep concern" on Monday about "the serious event in Pogradec, where a citizen lost his life in suspicious circumstances" and announced that he has launched a full verification of the actions of the competent bodies, which will to shed light on all aspects of the event, including allegations of unfair treatment of the situation.

"The People's Advocate expresses concern about the claims raised by the victim's family members and a part of the public opinion in Pogradec, regarding the possibility of concealment or manipulation of the event by the local police structures", says the statement of this institution.

Meanwhile, the general director of the state police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku, ordered today to carry out an inspection related to the tragic incident in Pogradec in the police of Korça by the directorate of professional standards in the state police.

"The Directorate of Professional Standards will evaluate the entire set of actions and reactions of the police officers, from the first moment of receiving the notification about the event, aiming to bring responsibility and the persons responsible, if they turn out to be so", says the announcement of state police.

Unofficial reports indicate that Proga was brutally raped by a 29-year-old man, who is a member of a family with political connections in the socialist government, which is suspected to have caused the fear or reluctance of many participants to speak, to hide or delay the disclosure of the event.

The chairman of the Democratic Party in Pogradec, Gentian Çela, stated that "the late Egli Proga died after the barbaric violence caused by Denis Meçe, a family member of a leader of the Socialist Party, known for his exploits in corruption and the beneficiary of tenders in the Municipality of Pogradec". .

He emphasized that the Pogradec police "for political purposes" tried to "hide the murder that happened in the most populated area of ??the city by reporting it as a natural death", and for this he demanded the dismissal of the local police chief.

The tragic event has shaken the tourist town of Pogradec on the shores of Lake Ohrid in the southeast of the country, which is visited by thousands of domestic and foreign tourists, so well known for its hospitality, ancient archeology and the peaceful atmosphere that has long encompassed this province.

Eglantin Proga, father of two minor children, was known by the community as a regular and calm citizen without conflicts with problematic persons. There is still no data on the causes of the conflict, where he was violently beaten to the point of loss of life, while the investigations of several different institutions are expected to reveal the truth./ VOA