Fight against crime and corruption

Impressed by the presence of three ministers, the representative of Catherine Ashton valued Tirana’s commitment and considered this visit “right on time”, but underlined that the European Union member countries are the ones to decide for the candidate status.

According to the Commission’s recommendations, and to convince the hesitating member countries, especially for fight against corruption in high levels, a package of necessary legal amends will pass soon in the Albanian Parliament, according to Naco.

“Last year there were Constitutional amends, but not in the Criminal Procedure Code. These amends allow the Prosecution to start investigating all officials of all levels, and only when all evidence is collected for Parliament Members or Ministers, they will address the Parliament for the arrest. So, we crossed this legal stalemate with this package, and soon it will pass in Parliament”, Naco declared.

“Albania and the European Union – the new guide of the government for the candidate status”, was the topic of the debate organized by the Center of European Policies, with the participation of three Ministers and representatives of the Commission, the Council and lobbying organizations in Brussels.

“We had a detailed action plan that is not only short-termed, because it will lead the actions and reforms needed to transform Albania. This is an important process for us. We have made a report for Commissioner Fule, with all the data that this government has collected so far, in the past two months, which will be updated again on November 27th, since we value these as very important for all member countries”, declared the Minister of Integration, Klajda Gjosha.

“First of all, I must to say that you have a large number of member countries who support Albania’s candidate status. I think that this has been made public”, declared Jean Eric Paquet, Director for enlargement policy and strategy.

“Who is against?”, asked Minister Tahiri during the conversation.

“It is true that there are some member countries who haven’t made their position clear. I don’t know who is against, but it is true that there are member countries yet to decide on this, and I think that they are facing clear bilateral political commitment, with a very clear strategic vision and tangible results”, Paquet declared.

“In such difficult areas, such as organized crime and corruption, it is important for the political circles in Albania to work together, and I think that the candidate status will help for this”, he underlined.

Besides the data about the fight against human traffic and organized crime, the Interior Minister spoke about regional cooperation and nationalist rhetoric.

“Any cooperation is considered within the European Union. There are two ways for European Integration, one for Kosovo and one for Albania. This is the only way that unites both countries”, Tahiri declared.

“The ministers guaranteed the level of cooperation between the new government and the opposition, what was a key problem in the past, and guaranteed for the progress. The Commission agrees with the position, and now it is up to the member countries. But certainly, Albania could keep convincing the member countries for all the changes and progress”, declared Rosa Balfour, Head for Europe at the EPC.

The Albanian delegation was received by Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule. The Ambassador of Greece, the country that takes the next presidency of the Union, organized a working dinner with the representatives of the member countries. The European Union Council will decide about Albania at the summit of December 19th and 20th.

After meeting with the Albanian delegation, made possible in the last minute after canceling a visit to Ukraine, Commissioner Fule valued the initiative of the three ministers for their arrival in Brussels, and the continuing of a high level dialogue about the key priorities.

“Their visit shows a clear commitment undertaken by Albania for the European Union reforms and integration”, says the special press release.

“After the discussion, I am convinced that Albania is taking the final steps to reinforce the functionality of democratic institutions and starting the efforts for a new all-inclusive reform”, Fule declared.

The Commissioner’s office explained that the ministers reported over the short-term measures taken in the rule of law. They introduced an updated plan of the fight against corruption and organized crime, and the last report for the decision taken in these areas. These developments were welcomed by the Commissioner, who will inform the council in the next meeting.

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