Prosecutor General Olsian Çela, while reporting to the High Prosecutorial Council on Wednesday, informed that nearly 2,500 people were intercepted by the prosecution, as part of preliminary investigations.

“During 2023, the interception of electronic communications was used by prosecutors in the preliminary investigation phase as a means of securing evidence in 514 criminal proceedings. The interception was carried out for 2,675 end devices in use of 2,492 subjects to which the interception was allowed,” said Çela.

He also emphasized the lack of prosecutors. “In 2023, the actual number of prosecutors in the prosecution offices of the general jurisdiction was 198 (including the appointments in July of 26 new magistrates). The state of the actual number of prosecutors according to the levels of the prosecutor’s offices was: - 177 prosecutors in the prosecution offices at the courts of first instance, or 101 prosecutors less compared to the organic number (64% of the organic structure),” he informed.

In total, over 55,000 reports were handled in 2023, 9.4% less than in 2022.

Further, the Chief Prosecutor considered the efforts for a new criminal code a rush that the current justice system does not need. In response to media inquiry, he said the current code is being used efficiently by law enforcement agencies. “I think there is no rush for a new criminal code. I think that there are other challenges for the justice system today. Imagine presenting today a new code, to seek its application from prosecutors and judges in conditions of overload,” he replied.