Albania’s Supreme Court has ordered the Appellate Court of the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) to re-examine a request filed by former President and leader of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta, seeking a change of his pre-trial detention measure.

Meta had requested that his “arrest in prison” measure be replaced with a more lenient precautionary measure. That request had previously been rejected by the GJKKO Court of Appeal.

With its latest ruling, the Supreme Court has overturned the appellate decision and instructed the same judicial panel to reconsider the case.

Separately, reports indicate that another decision has been taken regarding Meta’s case, with judicial sources saying that his request to lift the suspension of pre-trial detention deadlines has also been rejected.

Meta has been held in pre-trial detention since October 2024. The Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime decided on March 18 to send his case to trial, along with co-defendants including former MP Monika Kryemadhi, Fatime Kryemadhi, Pirro Xhixho, and Ema Çoku.

He is currently under investigation in three main cases, including the CEZ-DIA affair, lobbying activities of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) in the United States, and asset-related inquiries. The Special Prosecution Against Corruption (SPAK) has completed its investigation and sent the file to trial.

Meta and Kryemadhi face charges including passive corruption, money laundering, and failure to declare assets.