SPAK requests 4-year prison sentence for former Durrës mayor
The Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has issued its sentencing request for the case against the former Socialist Mayor of Durrës, Vangjush Dako, who faces charges of abuse of office. The prosecutor has called for a 4-year prison term, but due to a shortened trial procedure, Dako’s potential sentence would be reduced by one-third, bringing it down to 2.8 years if he is convicted.
Why is this important: Dako was an important figure within the Socialist Party, having served as the Mayor of Durrës, one of the country’s largest municipalities, for three consecutive terms. He was also the political leader of the Socialist Party in the Durrës district and was considered a close associate of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Dako was among the first high-profile officials to be investigated by SPAK.
Context: Currently under house arrest, Vangjush Dako stands accused of abuse of office in relation to two specific cases:
- Construction permit: The first involves a building permit issued in 2014 for an apartment complex that later collapsed during the devastating November 2019 earthquake.
- Promenade tender: The second case concerns a tender worth approximately 200,000 euros for the supervision of the coastal promenade project, which is alleged to have caused a financial loss of 18 million lekë – roughly 18,000 euro – to the state budget.
What else: Alongside Dako, three other individuals are in custody on charges related to document forgery. Dako was initially arrested in June 2023 but was released to house arrest in February 2024 after the legal detention period expired.
Dako’s case underscores SPAK’s role in tackling high-level corruption. Despite claims by the opposition that SPAK is controlled by the Socialist government, the fact is that SPAK has not spared any Socialist officials from its investigations and indictments. A host of them, some very senior like Dako, are already behind bars or under investigation.
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