Corruption tops Albania’s concerns

TIRANA, Albania — Corruption remains a serious problem in Albania, European Commission (EC) head in Tirana, Helmut Lohan, said last week after Transparency International produced its index, that lowered Albania’s ranking to last-but-one in the region.
Lohan said at a conference on doing business, held in Tirana, that corruption affected crucial foreign investment. The ambassador welcomed structures and programmes to fight the phenomenon, but warned it still posed a serious problem in many fields.
Lohan called on parliament to step up reforms, and urged lawmakers to consult with businesses while drafting bills concerning them.
The conference reported on a study by the European Chamber of Commerce that said most Albanian businesses were dissatisfied with the fiscal administration and considered tax policies unclear, insufficient and often selective. The report mentioned the same problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, while businesses in Macedonia and Montenegro generally had a positive view of their tax systems.
Corruption and fighting organized crime remain two of the main issues that Albania should focus upon along its integration efforts into the European Union.