Tirana Times
TIRANA, April 20 – Corruption remains one of the main topics of concern in this tiny Balkan country that, after becoming a NATO member, is trying to also reach the European Union.
Corruption is challenging Albania along these steps.
All international interlocutors present or interested in this country and also top officials here always try to speak on that issue.
President Bamir Topi said this week that one of the most important challenges our country is fighting corruption.
“The fight against the phenomenon of corruption in our country remains one of the most important challenges, but also the most difficult to combat in all its forms in order to realize the aspirations of Albania’s integration,” said Topi.
He said those when he met with the head of the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets (HIDAA), Adrian Llalla, and leaders of partner institutions of the member states in the Regional Network Against Corruption.
On Wednesday Llalla’s office announced the 180 officials whose statements on their assets and income would be scrutinized this year. Tens of thousands of public officials are obliged to hand over by the end of March their statements.
OSCE Ambassador to Tirana Eugen Wollfarth also said that fighting corruption remained a main sphere of concern for the local authorities. He also urged amendments to the Constitution on limiting the judges’ immunity, adding that the volunteer declaration of lifting the immunity was unacceptable. That was a move made last month by the parliament but voted only from the governing Democratic Party as the opposition said that was a fake act they were trying to commit ahead of the local elections.
Wollfarth also expressed his concern for the delays in the adoption of the draft-law on the Administrative Court and he appealed to avoid vacuums in the Constitutional Court. Another suggestion made by Wollfarth was the appointment of the head of Ombudsman, as one of the 12 recommendations made by the European Commission.
EU Ambassador to Tirana Ettore Sequi emphasized that fight against corruption was the responsibility of the Albanian government. Sequi said that the EU taxpayers give Albania funds to fight judiciary corruption, but now it is the duty of the Albanian governmental institution to continue this fight.
Fighting corruption and tangible results in that work remain a standard of reference along the country’s integration steps.
