US bars ex-Albanian prosecutor for alleged corruption ties

TIRANA, Albania — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has barred former Albanian Prosecutor General Adriatik Llalla from the United States due to his involvement in significant corruption.

The statement, published Thursday on the U.S. embassy's Facebook page, says Tillerson also barred Llalla's spouse and two children. It was the first such case made public in the post-communist Western Balkan country.

Llalla left office in December. There has been no reaction from him so far.

The U.S. ambassador to Albania last year accused him of hampering judicial reforms needed before talks can start on possible European Union membership for Albania. Earlier Llalla's U.S. travel visa was revoked.

The reform, prepared with help from EU and U.S. experts, passed unanimously seeking to ensure political independence for judges and prosecutors and to root out bribery.