EU Rapporteur for Albania Isabel Santos blamed the ongoing justice reform for the current failure to prosecute and convict high-level senior officials and politicians in vote-buying scandals.
When asked by Exit how this, one of the conditions, could be considered satisfied when this is the case, she said:
“The judicial system has been through a very thorough reform, the judge’s mandates have been looked at and a number have resigned from their posts…there have been problems with the functioning of the justice system, postponements, difficulties, but the vote-buying trials will be closely monitored by us.”
She did not address the fact that the two cases are now closed and that no senior officials or politicians have made it to trial. Furthermore, earlier in her speech, she praised the ongoing justice reform for yielding results.
Santos added that vote-buying scandals were “no excuse for putting off the first intergovernmental conference.”
When asked about recent reports including the US State Department report which said there was “no meaningful progress” had been made in tackling financial crime such as money laundering in 2020. On this matter, and that of corruption and other forms of financial crime, she said that rent cases “linked to Ndrangheta” showed that Albania is on the right path.
“The structures are doing their job, they are taking robust steps forward, we need to monitor this. A lot of effort has been put in, but we have to give [Albanina] incentives. The more recognition, the better.
Santos did not answer a question posed by Exit on the approval of bylaws on the law on national minorities, another condition that has not been properly addressed.
The Rapporteur stressed she was “not trying to whitewash anything” but that the “five conditions for opening initial debates” were fulfilled. She said the Albanian government had done a great job of meeting these “goals” under extremely difficult conditions including the November 26 2019 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ora News journalist Xhoi Malesia asked Santos what her thoughts were on criminals or those linked to crime running as deputies in the April 25 general elections and whether she had a message to politicians to distance themselves from organized crime.
Her response to this question was that the elections will be an important moment and afterward, parties must do their best to overcome tensions that have been in place for many years.
“There needs to be dialogue on what’s best for the nation. Democratic debate is pretty lively and full of passion. They need to focus on what is best for the country.”
Santos did not address the question posed by Malesia.
She concluded that the EU must “say YES to Albania, we are together, we stand together, we can go further and build a stronger European Union, and together we will continue along the path we have begun.”
