From: Alba Mborja
Remember Civil Society’s Petition for the Judicial Reform? – Where Are They Now?

In late February 2017, when the Democratic Party boycotted Parliament and had installed a tent in front of the Prime Ministry, Prime Minister Edi Rama accused the opposition of obstructing the vetting process. A public petition, called “Let’s save the vetting,” was circulated and signed by 49 so-called civil society organizations that we list below.

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The petition, actively promoted by foreign representatives such as US Ambassador Donald Lu, who also spoke during a protest of these organizations, claimed to speak in the name of Albanian society:

Albanian society seeks the speedy and full implementation of the first step of the reform: the vetting law.

Aware of the importance of the vetting, the authors also declared:

The establishment of the vetting institutions opens the way for a radical reform of the judicial system, being also the main condition for the progress of Albania toward the opening of EU accession negotiations. This was also confirmed by the Commissioner for Enlargement, who also expressed the readiness of the European Commission move this process forward as as soon the vetting has started to function.

But the most important part of the petition – and the reason we got reminded of it – was the vow that the authors took at the end:

Convinced that politics has to be convinced of the will of the citizens, the civil society organizations will continue to raise their voice, unstoppably, to hold the Albanian politicians accountable for their political, institutional, and moral duties, in relation to the implementation of the vetting law and European integration.

Considering their concern for the vetting and especially their vow to “raise their voice” to “hold the politician accountable,” it should have been expected that these organizations would once again rise from obscurity, rally their international allies, and protest the unconstitutional election of a General Prosecutor without any vetting whatsoever.

Or maybe we could have expected a fierce response when it turned out that the former Minister of Interior Affairs was involved in international drug trafficking, putting the EU integration of Albania at risk.

Or perhaps these organizations would gather their resources and produce a single qualifying candidate for the High Prosecutorial Council.

But no, none of these 49 organizations raised their voice or moved a single finger:

  1. Agjencia e Zhvillimit Rajonal, Durrës
  2.  Agjensia Rajonale e Zhvillimit, Korçë
  3.  Albanian Community Assist
  4.  Aleanca Gjinore për Zhvillim
  5.  Balkan Youth Link Albania (BYL-A)
  6.  Brave New Generation
  7.  Business Improvement District Shkodra
  8.  Creative City, Shkodër
  9.  Epoka e Re, Fier
  10.  Fondacioni Gjirokastra
  11.  Fondacioni Shoqëria e Hapur për Shqipërinë
  12.  Fondacioni Syri i Medias së Re, Gjirokastër
  13.  Forumi i Mendimit të Lirë
  14.  Green Line Albania
  15.  Gruaja Intelektuale Pogradecare
  16.  Gruaja në Zhvillim Korce
  17.  Instituti AGENDA
  18.  Instituti për Kërkime dhe Alternativa Zhvillimi
  19.  Instituti Shqiptar per Zhvillim Politikash
  20.  Intelektualet e Rinj Shprese (IRSH), Shkodër
  21.  Klubit Ekologjik, Elbasan
  22.  Koalicioni për Zgjedhje të Lira e të Ndershme e për Demokraci të Qendrueshme
  23.  Kongresi Rinor Kombëtar
  24. Legambiente Vlore
  25.  Lëvizja MJAFT
  26.  Lëvizja Evropiane (EMA)
  27.  Levizja Rinore Puke
  28.  Lions Club Pogradec
  29.  Mjedisi dhe Zhvillimi i Qëndrueshëm (ESD)
  30.  New Bridged, Berat
  31.  Observatori për të Drejtat e Fëmijëve
  32.  Organizata “Green Vision”, Vlorë
  33.  Organizata Reforma Reale
  34.  Partnerët Shqipëri për Ndyshim dhe Zhvillim
  35.  Projekte Vullnetare Nderkombetare
  36.  Qendra “Grupimi Ekolevizja”
  37.  Qendra e Zhvillimit të Shoqerine Civile, Durres
  38.  Qendra e Zhvillimit të Shoqërisë Civile Korcë
  39.  Qendra Genesis, Shkodër
  40.  Qendra Rinore, Vlorë
  41.  SEEP
  42.  Shërbimi Ligjor Falas Tiranë (TLAS)
  43.  Shoqata Artizanatit Pogradec
  44.  Shoqata e Grave Profesioniste, Afariste & Zejtare, Shkodër
  45.  Shoqata Gruaja drejt Integrimit, Pukë
  46.  Shoqata Maqedonase “Ilinden”, Tiranë
  47.  Shoqata per Integrimin e Zonave Informale (SHIZI)
  48.  Tjetër Vizion, Elbasan
  49.  #ZeriIntegrimit