Uncle Sam fails to impose on Albania’s ever-squabbling politics

TIRANA, Sep. 30 – The Albanian political parties could not manage to reach a compromise and vote on a law on the new Administrative Court and get the funding from the United States government
On Monday the US Embassy in Tirana urged parliament to quickly adopt a draft law on administrative courts, warning that failing to do that would lead to the loss of about 11.6 million euros allocated for the process.
Adopting the legislation is part of Albania’s commitments under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Agreement Programme, which measures performance in three areas — Ruling Justly, Investing in People, and Encouraging Economic Freedom.
The agreement was signed between Tirana and Washington in September 2008.
But the opposition Socialists Party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama had told the governing Democratic party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha that draft law had to be included in a package they proposed covering the vote transparency and the investigation of last year’s parliamentary elections they claim were manipulated in vote counting.
After the Democrats did not agree saying they could not link two issues the Socialists abandoned the parliament’s hall and consequently the draft law on the Administrative Court could not be voted as it required at least three-fifth or 84 votes to pass.
Berisha said he was open to any amendment to the draft if the opposition would bring it immediately
The Socialists, on their side, said the draft proposed by the government did not take into account the notes set from some experts from Europe and that was made to make favors to the politically affiliated private companies while the Democrats were in power.
Both sides tried to show to the electorate why they were right in their decisions.
The draft law has been pending in Parliament since early 2009.
“Failure to enact this legislation will result in the closure of Administrative Courts activities administered under the Threshold Program by USAID,” said the US embassy in a statement.
It added that “the Administrative Courts law is essential to helping Albania promote transparency in the judicial system, strengthen the rule of law, and boost citizen trust in public institutions. The Administrative Courts Bill would establish seven courts that would adjudicate disputes of citizens and businesses on matters such as employment, tax, customs, pensions, property registration, and compensation of property, as well as other important issues. In addition, the establishment of these courts would further align Albania’s judicial system with required EU integration standards.”
“U.S. assistance for the Administrative Courts Program will not be continued absent passage of the current bill,” it said.
So that is over! Tirana does not want the Washington money for such a project. That is the fundamental or the bottom line in all that political battle.
Is that true? Absolutely not! And don’t listen what politicians are saying. Common Albanians, their businesses and the country’s future really wants the court and the Washington money to help its creation.
Albanian post-communist politics has shown well it really does not care for the interests of the people but only for their own, close and personal one.
It would not be easy who to blame _ one or the other political side _ in such a fight. But it does not matter. In total Albanian politics is not serving the country’s interests.