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Mayor of Albanian city detained in corruption case

Saturday, 07 February 2015 3:16 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 07 February 2015 11:22 PM ]

Shpetim Gjika, the mayor of Vlora, Albania's second largest port city

The mayor of Albania's second largest port city has been detained on illegal construction charges in a corruption case, officials say.

A public prosecutor's office said on Friday that Shpetim Gjika, the mayor of Vlora, was arrested along with a municipal official and a construction company manager.

Vlora is located 140 kilometers (85 miles) southwest of the capital Tirana.

According to the prosecution, the mayor and his alleged accomplices were arrested on charges of abuse of office, falsifying documents, and illegal construction.

Gjika, a senior official in the governing Socialist Party, is accused of forging documents for an 11-story building and obstructing the investigation into the case.

The 52-year-old was cleared on similar charges last year.

Also on Friday, the country’s parliament elected Gent Sejko as a new governor for the central Bank of Albania. The post had remained vacant for months after millions of dollars from the bank's reserves went missing.

The corruption scandals and cases have received national attention in the country striving to improve its corruption record. Fighting corruption remains a top priority for Albania, which was granted candidate status from the European Union last year.

JR/AS/MHB

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