Agreement signed last week covers joint operations between Europol and Albanian police. EU to continue funding program of assistance for Albanian police
TIRANA, Dec. 9 – Albania and the European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol, have decided to enhance cooperation following an agreement signed in The Hague on Monday by Albanian Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri and Europol Director Rob Wainwright.
The Albanian Interior Ministry said that the agreement, which is expected to facilitate fight against organized crime, covers joint operations between Europol and Albanian police. It also allows exchange of strategic and operational information, including personal data on known and suspected criminals.
Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency that handles criminal intelligence, aims at improving the efficiency and cooperation between the competent authorities of the member states primarily by sharing and pooling intelligence to prevent and combat serious international organized crime.
Albania hopes the join the European Union within the next decade and the country’s law enforcement institutions have received EU assistance for years.
Most recently, the police assistance mission of the EU to Albania, PAMECA-4, will fund 4 million euro to bring the law enforcement capacities of the Albanian institutions (in particular Albanian state police and prosecutor) closer to EU standards.
The fourth term of PAMECA will bring Italian, French, Austrian and Hungarian expertise to improve the work of the Albanian State Police in guaranteeing public order and security, integrated border management, and the fight against corruption and organized crime, officials said.
Guaranteeing the rule of law is a pre-requisite for EU membership and a fundamental component of a democratic and just society.
“The EU remains committed to continuing to help Albania in strengthening its legislative and operational capacities and offers its continuous support for the effective implementation of the rule of law, but it is time we see real track records in the fight against organized crime and corruption,” Ambassador Ettore Sequi, the head of the EU Delegation to Albania, said at an event this week. “A country aspiring to European integration should rely on credible, ethical and professional law enforcement and judicial services to provide safety and security to all its citizens and not on an ill system.”
The EU has funded more than 17 million euro for PAMECA over the past few years. The funds have been spent on trainings and capacity building, equipment and infrastructure.
Complementing PAMECA, the EU has enabled the construction of 10 border crossing points and the refurbishment of 17 border police stations in Albania through 6 million euro, and has granted another 3.5 million euro to provide 8 high-speed modern patrol vessels for the Albanian police and customs to effectively control the borders with EU member states Greece and Italy.
