A former Albanian defence minister and 10 senior military officials were charged Wednesday over a series of blasts that killed 26 people last year, a prosecution spokeswoman said.

The former minister, Fatmir Mediu, and former army chief of staff Luan Hoxha were among those accused of violating safety procedures in a weapons disposal operation that triggered the explosions, spokeswoman Holta Xhidi said.

Mediu resigned his position following the incident at a military depot near Albania's capital Tirana in March 2008 that also left more than 300 people injured.

He stayed on as a parliamentary deputy, but was stripped of his immunity from prosecution three months later.

The handling of the ammunition and other military material at the depot had not been in accordance with the rules, endangering the life of its employees including women and children who worked there illegally, said the prosecution.