Albanian lawmakers lift ex-minister's immunity

25 February 2011 FOCUS News Agency

Southeast Europe and Balkans

Tirana. Albanian lawmakers voted on Thursday to lift the parliamentary immunity of former economy minister Dritan Prifti, paving the way for him to be investigated over corruption allegations, AFP reported.

With 119 votes for and three against among those present at the session, the deputies in the 140-seat parliament lifted the immunity of Prifti, a former member of the Socialist Movement for Integration, a partner in Albania's ruling coalition.

Prifti has given to the Albanian prosecutors video footage apparently showing the former deputy prime minister Ilir Meta asking him to favour one company over others bidding for a hydro-electricity plant and splitting a sum of some 70,000 euros (94,000 $) last March.