EU police assistance mission to Albania checks results

TIRANA, Feb 18 – The EU Police Assistance Mission to Albania (PAMECA III), funded from the European Commission Delegation to Albania, convened its second Steering Committee Wednesday in Tirana.
Albanian Interior Minister Bujar Nishani, British Minister of State for Crime and Policing, Vernon Coaker MP, and senior officials from the UK and Austria took part at the meeting.
The project is funded with more than 5.5 million Euros and it is implemented by the Northern Ireland Public Sector Enterprises (NI-CO) Ltd in partnership with the UK and Austrian Governments.
The meeting focused mainly on a review of the progress achieved by the project in the areas of the political independence of the police, awareness of human rights amongst the police, Integrated Border Management and the importance of further developing Community Policing.
Coaker said that “The police must be able to operate freely and fairly” and “it is vital that no undue political influence is exercised and this is a fundamental principle in the importance of the rule of law.” Coaker also said that “It is very important that the Police have stability in their jobs and that the desire to move officers from key roles after elections is resisted.”
EC’s representative Singh remarked that “the challenge for PAMECA III is to work in partnership with the Albanian Government in order to successfully tackle agreed objectives and demonstrate tangible and measurable results.” Singh also highlighted the “fundamental objective to increase trust by the Albanian citizens and international partners in the Albanian State Police.”
Minister Nishani highlighted the achievements so far of the PAMECA III Mission, particularly in the fields of improving the State Police’s performance to enable better management of its financial and technical resources. Nishani also noted that “The PAMECA III mission has followed and will continue to follow an open, transparent and contemporary work method accessible to all beneficiaries and partners. By working closely and establishing open dialogue with the beneficiaries and partners it will be possible for PAMECA III to meet the needs of the State Police and objectives of the Albanian Government”.