EU funds to make better use of taxpayers’ money

TIRANA, Jan. 25 – A Euro 1 million project funded by the EU has paved the ground for concrete improvements of Albania’s public procurement, concession and auction system. The project brought EU expertise and know-how from member states to assist Albania in completing its public procurement legislation and improving its practices in line with those applied by EU member states. The project ultimately contributes to Albania’s EU integration endeavors.
The EU has long assisted Albania in improving its public procurement system. Building on past achievements, this twinning project sustained support to the Albanian Public Procurement Agency through activities and trainings that are tailor-made to its needs. The twinning between the Albanian Public Procurement Agency, the Polish Public Procurement Office and the Romanian National Authority for Regulation and Monitoring Public Procurement, brought to Albania experts from EU Member States who have prepared an Action Plan and proposals for amendments to the Public Procurement Law and the preparation of a new Draft Law on Concessions; a National Training Plan to strengthen the capacities of the Public Procurement Agency and the contracting authorities to do their work, to monitor the execution of tasks and to fight potential corruptive practices; and a Communication Strategy and a series of communication materials for companies and all other actors that bid for the procurement of public services in order to raise knowledge and transparency
During the closing ceremony, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Albania, Ambassador Ettore Sequi pointed to the centrality of sound public procurement practices for transparent and efficient use of taxpayers’ money. Ambassador Sequi emphasized the need for Albanian authorities to follow up on the products of this assistance, noting that the EU “can bring expertise to help with laws, to assist in training staff, in disseminating information etc, but we cannot lead the reform of Public Procurement, we cannot pass your laws, we cannot enforce your laws. It is the responsibility and the duty of Albanian authorities and of the Albanian political class to make transparent and efficient use of the money that comes from the pockets of Albanian citizens”. He concluded that “Apart from a resolution to the issue of immunities and a track record of investigations, prosecutions and convictions of corruption cases at all levels, progress on the fight against corruption – one of the 12 priorities for candidate status – includes the fight against misuse and abuse of public money”.