Yesterday, the Socialist parliamentary majority passed the government decision delineating additional measures to take in the war against organized crime, as part of Prime Minister Rama’s anti-corruption legislation.
The majority voted to pass the changes predicted by the government’s January 31 decision with 89 votes for and only 17 against.
According to article 101 of the Constitution, in cases of emergency and in order to undertake temporary measures, the government can draft decisions that act as laws. Such a goverment decision must pass in parliament within 45 days of its drafting.
While talking about the anti-corruption legislation, Prime Minister Rama took the opportunity to attack the opposition and President Ilir Meta of defending the country’s organized crime element.
In late January, the Rama government adopted the controversial “Anti-KÇK Package.” As Exit has explained before, this legislation creates a special police and intelligence unit, with the power to restrict citizens’ movement, arrest citizens without court orders, search property at a whim, and tap phones and social media communications as they wish, under the de facto control of Prime Minister Rama.
Two months ago, the government claimed that it had consulted international partners regarding the legislation. However, both the EU and US representatives in Albania told BIRN that as of January 31, the government had not presented them with the changes made.
The legal initiative, that has a one year term, is implemented by the police unit, dubbed Operation Force of Law (OFL), that has undertaken several confiscation actions during the last months.
On Wednesday, 23 civil society organizations jointly urged the parliament to strike the government decision down. The law creates an ex judicial police and intelligence unit that reports to the Prime Minister. They have the power to detain, confiscate assets and passports of citizens without the need for a court order. While the government is adamant it will be used to fight crime, many believe it can be used to exert political pressure on members of society.
