Authorities charge more officials with corruption

TIRANA, Jan. 15 – The Energy and Industry Ministry has sent to the prosecutor’s office a complaint against two former top officials in the ministry, Dardan Domi and Andi Cerma, accusing them of favoring certain companies in public tenders and concessions issued during their term in office.
It was the latest in a series of charges made by the Socialist-led government of Prime Minister Edi Rama since it came to power in mid-September last year.
Although the fight against corruption has popular support in Albania, critics have expressed displeasure with the fact that after charges are filed, the senior officials accused have been released, and in some cases the charges have been dropped or lessened in severity by the judicial system.
It brings about the question of the reliability of the justice system in the country, experts say. It has always been Albania’s Achilles’ heel in the more than two decades since it overthrew the former communist regime.
Corruption and unprofessionalism, the impact of the political influence are some details covering the justice system in the country mentioned in almost all international reports and a main obstacle in the country’s progress toward the European Union.