Arben Ristani
Democratic Party (PD)
Legal status
Acquitted
acquitted
What this means: A court found the person not guilty of the charge concerned.
Profile
Named by Transparency International's case database as one of three people charged in the 2017-2020 Democratic Party US lobbying case, together with Lulzim Basha and Ilir Dervishi. The database records that the charges were dismissed in January 2020 and the dismissal was upheld on appeal in May 2020.
Response from Arben Ristani
Not retrieved directly. The party denied receiving the payments (per Mother Jones and Albanian press summaries).
Related cases
Sorted by reported money, then by linked people and their legal status. The money figure is the largest single reported figure, not a total.
From 2017
CEZ parliamentary commission: conflict-of-interest objection to Balla as chair (c. 2017)
When Taulant Balla chaired the parliamentary commission investigating the CEZ privatisation, PD MP Arben Ristani asked that he step down, arguing a conflict of interest because of court proceedings…
Status: Dispute reported. No formal finding found.
A case listed here names this person. It does not mean they are accused in it; read the case page.
Connections
Open the map →Former DP general secretary; Muzin Capitol contract
Evidence: Tirana Times (2017) quotes Ristani that all contract payments went through banks; the legal file is in.
Conflict-of-interest objection to Balla as CEZ commission chair (c. 2017)
Evidence: Top Channel English report: Ristani asked Balla to step down as chair; Balla denied conflict. No formal ruling found.
Timeline
Parliament
PD MP Arben Ristani asks that Balla step down as chair of the CEZ commission
Ristani argued that Balla had a conflict of interest because of court cases involving his family and a slander conviction. Balla denied any conflict. Shkëlzen Berisha refused to take the oath or testify while Balla chaired. No formal ruling on the objection was found. Date given as around 2017 in sources.
Linked: CEZ parliamentary commission: conflict-of-interest objection to Balla as chair (c. 2017) · Taulant Balla · Arben Ristani · Shkelzen Berisha
Media
Muzin Capitol payments to the DP reported; DP and Ristani respond
Tirana Times reports Muzin Capitol recorded $675,000 in payments for 2017 work for the DP, of which the DP says only $25,000 was its payment. Basha says the DP paid only what it declared and denies any link to Biniatta Trade LP. Ristani, DP General Secretary, is quoted: "all payments for these contracts have been conducted through the banks." The year is inferred from the article's 'nine years ago' label. Balla is not quoted in this article. Later follow-ups (2019-2020 court and SPAK) are in(doc-exit-basha-appeal-2020, claim-balla-sparka-basha-2020).
Linked: Lulzim Basha · Arben Ristani
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 4 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 3 sources
- Publisher
- Transparency International (CEPI)
- Date
- Nov 2023
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 14 May 2020
- Publisher
- Top Channel
- Date
- 2017
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 1 source
- Publisher
- Tirana Times
- Date
- 9 Mar 2017