Monday, September 21, 2009

BIRN Probe Triggers World Bank Reforms

In the January report, Balkan Insight published details of an internal investigation by the Bank’s own Inspection Panel, which accused the Bank's management of using the Albanian coastal zones management project to selectively demolish parts of the village in April 2007, leaving many families homeless. The panel also noted corruption allegations in relation to the project and efforts by World Bank officials to cover up events.

by Besar Likmeta

Demolished house in JaleThe World Bank has instituted a comprehensive review after Balkan Insight lifted the lid on “appalling mistakes” made in a project to protect coastal zones project, in which an Albanian village was demolished

After the investigative report, published on January 31, revealed that the World Bank project, had contributed to the demolition of Jale village, on the country's southern coast, contravening the institution's policies on forced displacement, a Bank-wide review was triggered of projects that involve land use planning.

The review, launched by the Operational Police Country Services Vice-Presidency and the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank, involved the identification and examination of safeguard mechanisms for over 130 projects that were either in preparation or under supervision.

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