Rama pledges to fight corruption roots

TIRANA, July 22 – Edi Rama, who is expected to be the next prime minister in September, said that fighting corruption remains one of the main topics of his cabinet.
Corruption remains the country’s main shortcoming. It was the fight against corruption which brought to power the outgoing cabinet of Prime Minister Sali Berisha in 2005. But it was again the corruption scandals and accusations that seemed to have taken it out of the seat at the June 23 national polls this year.
Rama was invited at the BBC’s Hardtalk of Sara Montague and the topic of corruption was a main one discussed there.
Albania is the most corrupt country in Europe according to Transparency International.
Rama promised to change this when he takes over in September 2013.
He said how he intends to fight corruption, adding he would follow the lessons of other countries that had been successful in defeating corruption.
Albania is the single most corrupt country in Europe according to Transparency International.
A modern artist, Rama won international plaudits for transforming the capital Tirana when he was its mayor – not least by painting its grey buildings in bright colors. He’s now promised a renaissance for the whole country. So can he succeed where previous politicians have failed?
Of course that remains to be seen in the next four years.
But the Socialists made it clear since the electoral campaign and earlier that fighting corruption remained a main topic if they would like to take the country ahead, and especially in its integration road toward the European Union.
They have pledged to hold drastic reforms in the whole governing authorities. They have also given some indications or details, like filtering all the concessions given from the previous government, or cancelling some project like the national lottery or the checking of the fuel.
Corruption will be a main challenge that will be carefully checked and tangible results expected from the European Union.