TIRANA, August 22/ATA/ Minister of Interior Taulant Balla has chosen the commemorative ceremony of the first martyr of the RENEA special forces Arben Ujka today in Shkodra to announce a new penal policy towards those who oppose the police.
“Whoever disobeys the lawful order/call of the police officer, or even more seriously opposes it by force, dares to insult, threaten, hit him or even endanger his life in the exercise of his duty or because of duty, it should be clear that there will be zero tolerance”, said Balla.
He assured that he will do his best for a new penal policy to be implemented in this respect, asking for the support of the justice system.
“The legal framework is there in the Penal Code, with the changes that I myself supported in the Assembly in 2019, and in the law on the State Police. Disobeying the lawful orders of the police officer constitutes a penal offence which can be punished with imprisonment of up to three months”, he said.
Balla went further on to provide details saying that, “If you oppose the police officer with the intention of preventing him from performing his duty according to the law, the punishment goes up to one year in prison. And this crime, when committed in collaboration or by exercising physical violence or more than once, can be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years. If someone dares to slap a police officer on duty, that person risks up to five years in prison. Then, for more serious criminal offenses against a police officer, the Penal Code is tough as it should be”. /m.m/p.s./
