New law for assets of government officials

The opposition did not become part of the discussion, because they think that by removing the President’s competence to propose the name of the Director of the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets, and passing this competence to the Parliament, the fight against corruption might turn into a government farce.

“Not only it removes another competence of the President, but it also undoes the independence of this institution, and as result, every other competence is zeroed. There should be a consult with other international institutions. We are asking you to postpone this and ask for their opinion, as we have done in the past”, declared the Democratic Party Parliament Member, Oerd Bylykbashi.

“You cannot impose your opinion to the commission. The meeting will continue”, declared the Head of the Commission, Fatmir Xhafaj.

The vacancy of the opposition was filled by the vice leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration, Petrit Vasili, supported by other Socialist Movement for Integration Parliament Members. He opposed one of the essential amends of the law. An amend that stops public administration officials to carry more than 1.5 million ALL.

“Officials who have been newly appointed declare 200-300.000 EUR In cash, which they plan to make in a second time. To prevent this negative phenomenon, we set an obligation that the money which is declared should be deposited in a bank account”, Xhafaj declared.

“A preliminary study shows that there are 50-60 million EUR declared by officials in cash. It is abnormal, because it means that they have 300.000 EUR under their pillow at home. If you know someone who keeps 300.000 EUR under the mattress in Albania… for me is not normal. It would help us a lot if they could stop with this ”, declared the Chief Inspector, Shkelqim Gani.

“This study was not deposited at the Commission, and I consider it not normal. If we start it with the perspective that we are administering a corruptive administration, and we know that all high-rank officials will steal to get rich, we have misunderstood the principle for building the administration”, Vasili declared.

Although the Socialist Movement for Integration Parliament Members voted against this law, the majority seemed solid when they approved unanimously the amends for the audit of assets of high-rank officials.

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