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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The High Court has upheld the decision of the Special Appeal on the Elbasan incinerator file, rejecting the appeal of the convicts and finally sealing one of the biggest corruption cases of recent years.
The decision directly affects former Environment Minister Lefter Koka, who now faces being sent back to prison, following recent developments in the Tirana incinerator case.
According to the final decision, Lefter Koka remains sentenced to 10 years in prison, which with a summary trial is reduced to 6 years and 8 months in prison. Meanwhile, former MP Alqi Bllako was finally sentenced to 4 years in prison, or 2 years and 8 months with a summary trial.
The sentences for Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, who were sentenced to 10 years in prison each, reduced to 6 years and 8 months, also remained in force. Stela Gugallja was sentenced to 7 years in prison, while Pëllumb Abeshi and Jonida Zeqo were sentenced to 4 years in prison each.
The Supreme Court's decision comes just a few days after the GJKKO Appeal ruled to return Lefter Koka to prison for the Tirana incinerator case.
On May 14, the Court of Appeal partially reversed the first instance decision and ordered the former minister to return to prison to serve another 6 months in prison, after overturning the decision that had terminated his security measure.
Koka was released from prison in December 2025, after the Special Court argued that the maximum 3-year detention period for the Fier incinerator case had expired. But recent developments in the other two cases appear to have once again closed the door to freedom for the former socialist minister.
The incinerators case is considered one of the biggest financial and political scandals in the country, with SPAK accusing former senior officials and businessmen of corruption, money laundering, and abuse of office in multimillion-dollar waste management contracts.
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