Lawyer Edmond Petraj: The Police Chief cannot become a “political scapegoat” for illegal constructions

Lawyer Edmond Petraj has reacted regarding the case of the Saranda Police Commissariat chief, emphasizing that responsibility for the phenomenon of illegal constructions cannot rest solely on the State Police while territorial and administrative institutions avoid their legal role.

According to Petraj, territorial administration, urban control, and the monitoring of constructions are competencies that the law mainly assigns to municipalities and the respective territorial planning structures. He stressed that municipalities have the institutional obligation to prevent, identify, and report any violations related to illegal constructions within the territory they administer.

“The Police are not the exclusively responsible institution for preventing illegal constructions. They are a supporting link in enforcing the law, especially when intervention is required for public order or operational support,” Petraj stated.

He also highlighted the role of other state institutions, such as the National Inspectorate for Territory Protection (IKMT) and the structures responsible for urban planning, which according to him have clear competencies in controlling and intervening against illegal constructions.

According to the lawyer, concentrating all criminal responsibility on the local police chief creates a distorted interpretation of the law and undermines the principle of individualized responsibility.

Petraj argues that in this specific case, consideration should also be given to the fact that the police chief had been engaged in investigating a serious criminal event with major public impact, which according to him constitutes an objective circumstance in managing operational priorities.

“The failure to immediately engage with illegal constructions cannot automatically be considered abuse of office without proving the existence of unlawful intent, favoritism, or corruption,” he emphasized.

In conclusion, Petraj stated that this is a complex issue of territorial administration and institutional coordination, where responsibility should be analyzed in a balanced manner among all competent institutions and not reduced solely to one police official.

“KORÇA BOOM”