Reform in the judicial system seen as priority in fighting crime and corruption in Albania.
TIRANA, April 8 – Albania has asked the United States to offer assistance with law enforcement experts to train local police and work in joint operations, according to Justice Minister Nasip Naco.
Naco made the comments during a visit to the United States, where he met with American officials to discuss on the progress of the modernization and democratization of the judiciary system in Albania.
Naco said he had asked the U.S. officials to continue their assistance projects in Albania, which are done through the OPDAT, ICITAP and USAID, expressing thanks for the work done so far.
Fighting corruption and crime remains a top priority for Albania’s government. Despite prior efforts law enforcement still remains a main shortcoming to post-communist Albania.
Albania’s government recently prepared an anti-corruption package. It has also taken many former top officials to the prosecutor’s offices to face charges of corruption and abuse of posts. But it is too early to note how the cases will proceed and now senior Albanian official has been so far found guilty and been punished on corruption charges.
Fighting corruption is also a main issue in all the international reports about Albania, especially those of the European Union, which Albania is looking to join as a full member one day.
Naco also discussed fighting terrorism and the illegal trafficking, especially drugs smuggling.
Albania is a country of origin for marijuana and a transit country for heroin, according to law enforcement experts.
The judiciary system remains a main issue the executive should deal with, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama, who acknowledged the challenges Albania faced during his recent visit to Germany.
He said in an interview after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that without reforming the rotten judiciary system Albania should forget about getting closer to the European Union.
For example, four former top officials of the property restitution agency, AKKP, have been charged with abuse of post and corruption. They are accused of illegally and not regularly distributing to individuals former public property.
But the prosecutors and judges so far have shown to be reluctant to punish any former top officials of corruption, the government says.
The government says many of those charged, including former Defense Minister Arben Imami, never go to trial and the cases are dropped by the prosecutors or courts.
