Minister says justice system reform remains a serious challenge

TIRANA, Nov. 18 – Justice Minister Nasip Naco said Tuesday that the reform in the justice system needs the participation of all the actors, including the international institutions.
Naco made the comment in a meeting with German official Christian Lange, who was visiting his counterparts in the justice ministry and the consumer protection authorities.
The Albanian parliament is creating a special commission for the reform and that will also ask for assistance from the Venice Commission.
“We are set on undertaking long-term and sustainable reforms,” said Naco.
The minister also said the drastic reform will need constitutional amendments.
Lange said “the justice system is of a major importance for the possibility of approximation [of legislation] with the EU.”
He said that drafting and application of new laws are of primary importance for Germany and other EU member countries.
Justice has been post-communist Albania’s Achilles’ heel as all the reports from the international institutions have considered it as corrupt and often unprofessional negatively affecting the country’s democratic progress. Justice has the lowest trust among Albanians too complaining of corruption of the judges and prosecutors and their inability to often resolve their disputes.