A pressing question has arisen in Switzerland: can a former high-level politician under investigation for serious crimes reside in a building owned by the municipality? This issue has been raised in Lugano regarding Arben Ahmetaj, whose stay in the city has begun to concern not only the local community but also local politics.
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| Arben Ahmetaj in an interview for a local media |
Local councilors Raoul Ghisletta, Edoardo Cappelletti, and Mattea David have called for an inquiry directed at the Municipality of Lugano and local authorities to obtain information about Arben Ahmetaj’s residence in a luxurious villa. They are asking whether the Municipality of Lugano "confirms that the building on Via S. Franscini belongs to the city of Lugano" and whether "the former Albanian deputy prime minister and his partner regularly reside there." The signatories of the inquiry also want to know if "the allocation of city accommodation for the mentioned individuals is considered regular."
Local Swiss media, from the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, report that they have reached out to local authorities, questioning the heads of the Real Estate and Security Departments to get answers to these questions. They have been informed that it is true the building is owned by the municipality, but regarding Ahmetaj’s name, they claim to have never seen it.
This situation is considered normal since the apartment is under the name of his partner, Erjola Hoxha, who signed the contract. However, Ahmetaj, like all citizens, is still required to register according to the law and has not done so yet. The same sources state that the rent for the apartment is not at a discounted rate but a very high one, and previously, well-known VIPs have also stayed in the same residence.
The media also note that Ahmetaj’s presence in Lugano is not coincidental, linking it to previous reports that a total of €1.8 million had been transferred from Albanian banks to an account at a Credit Suisse branch in Lugano belonging to one of Ahmetaj’s associates. To shed light on these substantial transfers from Albania, the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) requested information through a letter rogatory to Switzerland, and the Federal Public Ministry sent the requested documents in October 2023.
Moreover, there is another connection of Ahmetaj with Lugano, the city where he is residing in a super-luxurious apartment. The incinerator company Integrated Energy BV transferred funds specifically to Lugano, where there was an account at Arner Bank, on which Mirel Mërtiri had a mandate. A company in Switzerland, 3DDD Swiss Trading SA, received substantial transfers from an account belonging to the Tirana incinerator. This company was founded by an Albanian citizen residing in Italy and who owns another company in the canton of Ticino, Drax Consult SAGL. Drax Consult itself was previously at the center of a scandal in Zimbabwe.
Regarding the issue of asylum, Swiss media report that there are still questions to be resolved since Albania is considered a safe country. Ahmetaj has been internationally wanted since July 2023 for the incinerator case, and sources indicate that the investigations are expected to be concluded by the end of June.