Integrity: A concept, a conference and revealing examples

TIRANA, Oct 29 – A conference on the integrity of the public official was held in Tirana last weekend.
The conference was organized by the Albanian Encouragement Project (AEP), which includes under its umbrella 60 non-governmental organizations and “Sotmeria” Initiative build to promote moral and spiritual values.
Integrity as an issue attracts a considerable number of studies and attention, especially in relation to public officials who directly or indirectly influence the decisions for the whole population. That is closely linked with the corruption concept, which in Albania remains a priority in its efforts of itnegration into the international institutions.
Senior officials from the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, and other senior officials from the top institutions were present at the conference.;
The speakers covered a wide range of subjects, discussing the concept of Integrity, an overview of how corruption has influenced the decision-makers and such creates issues for people in power, the situation of integrity in Albania among its leaders, and also practical solutions to overcome corruption and to move forward for the benefit of the country.
Some of the speakers used examples from the present reality, thus drawing so much media attention. It was specified by the local media how US Ambassador John L. Withers mentioned the idea on removing the immunity of the lawmakers and other high officials in power reminding Prime Minister Sali berisha of his pledge on that.
Yale professor, Stephen L. Carter, in his book “Integrity” considers the concept of integrity as a para political value, suggesting that without this kind of values, the other ones in the political arena are worthless.
Ambassador Withers defined integrity as “doing the right thing even if nobody is watching.” Withers also stressed that integrity is a quality of leadership and as such it is a required element for the people who lead the country.
Former Albanian presidents Alfred Moisiu and Rexhep Meidani said that integrity has a personal value and also a social or collective one. A politician without integrity impacts not only his personal life but also the whole society.
Roger D. Sherrard brought examples of a certain search for values and integrity in the first years of democracy in Albania. Albania’s communist system, with its principles of isolation from the Western world, left a spiritual and social vacuum, which normally created a lack of integrity and an environment for bad people to take over the rest of the society.
All the speakers stressed the need for people with integrity to rise up and influence Albania at this crucial time to promote those leaders who “do the right thing in face of adversity” and think well before they make promises or decisions.