Albania makes progress in tackling corruption

06/08/2013

A recent report lauds the success of Albania's anti-corruption efforts.

By Merita Bajraktari for Southeast European Times -- 06/08/13

A new European Council report gives Albania high marks for anti-corruption reform. [AFP]

Albanian officials welcomed a report by the European Council's Group of States against Corruption that said that Albania has made progress in its anti-corruption efforts.
"The European Council's Group of States against Corruption concludes that Albania has now implemented satisfactorily or dealt with in a satisfactory manner all the 12 recommendations contained in the third round evaluation report," the group noted.
The evaluation focused on two themes: incriminations and transparency of party funding. The first and second round compliance reports were compiled in 2009 and 2011.
Albania Prime Minister Sali Berisha lauded the report, and praised the close collaboration between Tirana and the European Council group on legislative matters and the fight against corruption.
However, analysts and citizens said the country has more work to do.
"If there is anything that Albania continues to have as a problem without any results, is the fight against corruption. Perhaps Berisha and the European Council group simply mean achievements in the legal framework, namely the adoption of laws against corruption. As far implementation of these laws go, and when it comes to their practical application, especially in the area of corruption, the situation is alarming," Mirela Bogdani, an associate professor at the University of Tirana, told SETimes.
"On paper, these evaluation and compliance reports under the group sound great," said Agron Alibali, an Albanian lawyer, told SETimes. "In reality, the measures recommended and implemented do not seem to have any significant impact on the ground, and moreover they raise legitimate jurisdictional and equal protection issues."