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| Elira Kokona |
The scandal with the Deputy Secretary General of the Prime Minister's Office, Elira Kokona, who, after being appointed to high government duties in 2013 and onwards, has continued to practice and profit from her profession as a lawyer.
According to the information extracted from her business activities, Elira Kokona suspended her activities as a lawyer only in April 2014, almost 8 months after she was appointed as Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture.
According to the laws in force, the duties of the Secretary General in the senior state administration are categorically incompatible with the practice of other professions, and anyone who transitions from private activity to government offices must withdraw from their personal business before being appointed to a public office. The violation is not only disciplinary, but also criminal, as it involves pure abuse of duty, local media say.
On the other hand, Elira Kokona is known to have practiced as a private lawyer not only in Strasbourg but also in international arbitrations where the Albanian government has faced different investors.
Thus, in the case "MAMIDOIL JETOIL GREEK PETROLEUM PRODUCTS SOCIETE S.A. v. Albania," Elira Kokona has represented the Greek company as a private lawyer. The lawsuit was filed in July 2011, and the decision was given on March 30, 2015.
During this period, Elira Kokona was appointed as Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, but this fact is not mentioned in any line of the arbitration decision where the stages of the process are listed.