US warns Albania of preserving independence of institutions

TIRANA, Sep 30 – US Assistant Secretary of Defense Gordon England made a visit to Albania this week to assure Albanian authorities of Washington’s support in its road of integration as a full NATO member but also warning they should not touch the independence of institutions.
England met with Albania’s president Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli and Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa.
He also made a visit to Tirana’s Muslim mosque on the Eid-al-Fitr day Tuesday.
England hailed Albania as a key contributor to securing cooperation and stability across the Balkans.
He also hailed the tiny Balkan country after the US Senate ratified the accession to NATO and said they were looking forward to “everyone voting before next April and Albania becoming a full member of NATO.”
He also urged the country to continue the much needed reforms and that “Albania will continue to respect the independent institutions so vital in those reforms as they will help your country build a strong democracy and economy.”
“The U.S. and Albania have been strong partners for many years and our countries share a commitment to furthering peace and prosperity across the Balkan region. Today, Albanian military are supporting a number of UN Peacekeeping efforts and they are playing a critical role in Iraq and Afghanistan. America is deeply grateful for your country’s many contributions and sacrifices. Our countries share the goal of furthering peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.
After meeting with Berisha he said they had talked “about the stability of the region, military modernization in Albania, the business climate, the reforms underway, and also the issue of unexploded ordnance.”