CoE urges reforms, cooperation

TIRANA, April 4 – The Council of Europe parliamentarians visiting Albania urged the local authorities to continue the required reforms and also cooperate on the country’s next steps in the road toward European integration.
Czech TomᚠJirsa and Moldovan Grigore Petrenco, co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Albania, made a fact-finding visit to that country from 2 to 4 April 2012.
The co-rapporteurs met President Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Justice Minister Eduard Halimi, Prosecutor General Ina Rama, representatives of NGOs and the diplomatic community and also main opposition Socialsit Party leaders.
They also held talks with leaders of political parties, the Albanian delegation to the PACE, the parliamentary investigation Committee into the events of January 2011, and the central election Commission.
Discussions focused on electoral and parliamentary reforms, the fight against corruption, developments in relation to the upcoming presidential elections, and the investigation into the January 2011 events.