SPAK Report for 2024/ The number of criminal proceedings and persons under investigation increases

2025-04-02 15:26:00, Politikë CNA

SPAK Report for 2024/ The number of criminal proceedings and persons under

Details emerge from the SPAK report for 2024 submitted to the Assembly.

The report states that the registration of criminal proceedings for events related to the fight against organized crime has increased by about 18.8%. SPAK emphasizes in the report that the number of persons under investigation from these proceedings has also increased, by about 21.6%.

This report states that external pressure and interference undermine the independence and effectiveness of investigations, as well as the integrity of prosecutors.

The SPAK report submitted to the Assembly also addresses an issue related to the internal functioning of this institution, which has to do with the lack of legal definition of the status of special prosecutors after the end of their mandate.

"The fight against organized crime this year, compared to the previous year, has marked significant achievements with an increase of about 18.8% in the registration of these criminal proceedings. Likewise, the number of persons under investigation for these proceedings has also increased by about 21.6%, compared to 2023. On the other hand, there is a decrease of about 7.3% in cases sent for trial due to their volume and complexity.

"External pressure from organized crime, political and media actors, which undermines its constitutional independence and effectiveness in investigations. External interventions also endanger the integrity of prosecutors and the investigative process. To guarantee the independence of SPAK, as well as support for prosecutors in sensitive cases, a more coordinated and timely response is needed from all institutions, which have the responsibility of protecting the integrity of SPAK.

"The continued lack of a clear legal definition regarding the status of special prosecutors after the end of their mandate. SPAK notes that this issue has not yet been addressed and emphasizes that the lack of a clear definition of this status may undermine the continued maintenance of high professional standards of investigation, required by the public, the Parliament, the Council of Ministers and international institutions. As highlighted in SPAK's annual report for 2023, the lack of a clear status of special prosecutors would also undermine the continuity of important investigations conducted by SPAK," the report states./CNA