General Prosecutor Explains Decriminalization Difficulties

General Prosecutor Olsian Çela stated that many states do not respond to the demands made by the Albanian judiciary on the issue of decriminalization. 

During a statement to the media after the meeting at High Prosecution Council where he reported on the annual report, Çela said that there has been a lack of cooperation regarding this issue. 

When we are one month away from the May 14 elections, Chief Prosecutor said that all cases of electoral crimes will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

Q: Are there additional measures? 

Olsian Çela: The measures are the same, the commitment of the prosecutors is the same, the structures are the same. We will have 13 prosecutors who will be engaged because on May 1, the activity of prosecutors begins with the change of the new judicial map. Any reference material related to election crimes will be evaluated. 

Q: How can you handle decriminalization? 

Olsian Çela: This is an Albanian issue that we want to solve internationally. We act on the basis of International Conventions. This requires broad-based cooperation. A large number of states do not provide legal aid for the issue of decriminalization. 

Question: Have you received information on persons involved in election crimes, since we are on the verge of a campaign? 

Olsian Çela: We have set up a special structure that analyzes every case that comes up, there are three people who are involved, with the start of the campaign in every report that the prosecutors are obliged to make, we will process the data and make it known.