The defense attorney of the former administrator of "Bankers Petroleum", Leonidha Çobos, has issued a written statement to the media regarding the allegations against his client.
In his response, Çobo's lawyer states that he performed his duties correctly from 2010-2015. The lawyer stated that the period investigated by the Fier Prosecutor's Office refers to 2018 and onwards, when Çobo no longer held any position in the company, while the reports on which the charges were filed date back to 2018.
In his statement, the lawyer emphasizes that Bankers' contractual relationship with the Albanian state is regulated by the 2004 Hydrocarbons Agreement, which defines Bankers' obligation to make investments in the development of the activity.
The defense emphasized that every claim regarding the investments made by Bankers for the period 2010-2015, when Çobo was an administrator, have been audited and verified by AKBN and the Tax Directorate, for which there are also several court decisions and the Court of Arbitration in Paris, confirming the regularity of the activity for this period.
"Mr. Cobo has been out of Bankers' administration for over 10 years and his placement in the extreme measure of pre-trial detention for unfounded or previously investigated claims, without ever being summoned and questioned by the prosecution, is not only legally unfounded, but in clear violation of due process," the statement emphasizes, among other things.