US Names Albanian Judge as Anti-Corruption ‘Champion’

SManalysis

Gjergj Erebara

Tirana BIRN February 23, 202118:03

The US State Department included Albanian judge Adrian Dvorani in a list of 12 “anti-corruption champions” around the world, praising him for reducing political and criminal influence on the country’s justice system.

Judge Adrian Dvorani. Photo: Gjergj Erebara/BIRN

The US State Department announced on Tuesday that Adrian Dvorani, a former High Court judge in Albania, has been named on its list of 12 people around the world who have distinguished themselves by fighting corruption.

“Judge Dvorani developed mechanisms to reduce political and criminal influence in the justice system, steps that contributed to the EU’s decision in March to open negotiations for Albania’s accession,” the State Department said in a statement.

Dvorani, 55, graduated from the University of Tirana in 1988 and worked as a prosecutor in the last years of Communist rule.

He worked as adviser to the Prime Minister in 1998 and 1999 and at the Ministry of Justice until 2015, when he was appointed to the High Court by President Alfred Moisiu.

He was one of the two members of the High Court who survived a vetting process introduced by Albania to purge its justice system of corrupt or inept officials.

However, over the last several years, Dvorani has been attacked by the main opposition party as a puppet of the government and President Ilir Meta filled charges against him for abuse of power.

Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed his nomination as an anti-corruption champion in a Twitter post, claiming that Dvorani “resisted evil”.

Meta’s office hit back through spokesperson Tedi Blushi, who wrote on Facebook that Albanians will vote “against you [Rama], oligarchs, and corrupt diplomats” in parliamentary elections on April 25.

The US State Department used the list of ‘champions’ to promote what it said is President Joe Biden’s anti-corruption agenda.

“Around the world, corruption threatens security and stability, hinders economic growth, undermines democracy and human rights, destroys trust in public institutions, facilitates transnational crime, and siphons away public and private resources,” the State Department said.

“The Biden Administration recognises that we will only be successful in combating these issues by working in concert with committed partners, including courageous individuals who champion anti-corruption efforts and countries working to fulfil their commitments to international anti-corruption standards,” it added.