OSCE against draft lustration law

TIRANA, Dec 17 – The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also expressed against the draft law on lustration that was debated at the parliament earlier this week.
“The law breaches several articles of the [Albanian] constitution and an all-inclusive debate it’s necessary before it’s passed,” said OSCE Ambassador in Tirana Robert Bosch. The lustration bill that was postponed for voting to next Monday has come under harsh criticism by the US as well, besides the country’s opposition and interest groups.
The draft-law would dismiss from office judges and prosecutors who worked during Albania’s half-a-century-long period of communist rule, led by former Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha.
That move was criticized by the opposition saying it more aimed at getting rid of those prosecutors and judges involved in the investigation and trial of the Gerdec blast, the legal case against Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha and the scandal of the Bosnian businessman Damir Fazlic involving Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s family directly.
The opposition also said the law violated twenty articles of the Albanian constitution and laws for the organization of the courts and the prosecution office.
The law also has been criticized from the association of prosecutors and judges.
The OSCE ambassador urged Albanian lawmakers to launch a nation-wide debate on the law before it is approved by them.