US urges independence of prosecutors

TIRANA, May 6 – US Ambassador to Tirana John L. Withers urged Albanian authorities to respect the independence of the prosecutors and continue the fight against corruption and organized crime.
Speaking at a ceremony to create six regional Joint Investigative Units, modeled after the Tirana JIU, in Vlor묠Fier, Korc묠Gjirokast첬 Durr쳬 and Shkod첬 as part of the MCC Albania Threshold Program II, Withers hailed the success achieved during the last two years.
Withers referred to John Adams, the second President of the United States, and date back to 1776, the very founding of the United States, saying that, “The dignity and stability of government in all its branches, the morals of the people, and every blessing of society depend so much upon an upright and skillful administration of justice . . . ”
These words are just as important today and should be a reminder to everyone that the administration of justice, in a fair and equal manner, is essential to a just society, he said.
The ambassador assured Albania that the OPDAT program would continue to work with all of the agencies to help establish and train these units and to provide the necessary equipment for them to accomplish their work.
The ambassador commended members of the Tirana JIU, and all of the liaisons working with them, are for “doing justice” by fighting corruption and considered the Tirana JIU as the model for cooperation between prosecutors and police.
The Tirana JIU is not only a model for this country but for others as well. Just to the north, Montenegro has organized a new task force of prosecutors and police, using the Tirana JIU as a model, he said, adding that prosecutors from as far away as Kyrgyzstan want to visit this JIU to learn how and why it is so successful.
Despite the many successes, there is much work to be done, he said.
Withers reminded Albanian authorities of last week’s USAID 2009 Survey of Corruption in Albania, Perception and Experience.
Not all the news in the report was good, he said. Overall, the survey showed that the Albanian public still has a negative view of its public institutions in general, but especially in the ability of those institutions to fight corruption.
In order to continue this upward trend and build even more confidence in the integrity of the criminal process, the prosecutors, judicial police officers and liaisons selected to be a part of the regional JIUs must be above reproach. Prosecutors, especially, have enormous power to conduct investigations and to use all the tools available to them in doing so.
Prosecutors have a very difficult job here in Albania, in part because of the size of this nation. Like many small states in the U.S., everyone knows everyone. In spite of this situation, prosecutors must remain independent and free from any coercion or political influence. They must be free to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, and they must have the courage to do so, said the ambassador.
“Albania must commit to protecting the independence of prosecutors to ensure its democratic progress forward. Any threat to this independence is a clear step backward. There must be no political pressure on prosecutors.”