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.
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:
- Agjencia e Zhvillimit Rajonal, Durrës
- Agjensia Rajonale e Zhvillimit, Korçë
- Albanian Community Assist
- Aleanca Gjinore për Zhvillim
- Balkan Youth Link Albania (BYL-A)
- Brave New Generation
- Business Improvement District Shkodra
- Creative City, Shkodër
- Epoka e Re, Fier
- Fondacioni Gjirokastra
- Fondacioni Shoqëria e Hapur për Shqipërinë
- Fondacioni Syri i Medias së Re, Gjirokastër
- Forumi i Mendimit të Lirë
- Green Line Albania
- Gruaja Intelektuale Pogradecare
- Gruaja në Zhvillim Korce
- Instituti AGENDA
- Instituti për Kërkime dhe Alternativa Zhvillimi
- Instituti Shqiptar per Zhvillim Politikash
- Intelektualet e Rinj Shprese (IRSH), Shkodër
- Klubit Ekologjik, Elbasan
- Koalicioni për Zgjedhje të Lira e të Ndershme e për Demokraci të Qendrueshme
- Kongresi Rinor Kombëtar
- Legambiente Vlore
- Lëvizja MJAFT
- Lëvizja Evropiane (EMA)
- Levizja Rinore Puke
- Lions Club Pogradec
- Mjedisi dhe Zhvillimi i Qëndrueshëm (ESD)
- New Bridged, Berat
- Observatori për të Drejtat e Fëmijëve
- Organizata “Green Vision”, Vlorë
- Organizata Reforma Reale
- Partnerët Shqipëri për Ndyshim dhe Zhvillim
- Projekte Vullnetare Nderkombetare
- Qendra “Grupimi Ekolevizja”
- Qendra e Zhvillimit të Shoqerine Civile, Durres
- Qendra e Zhvillimit të Shoqërisë Civile Korcë
- Qendra Genesis, Shkodër
- Qendra Rinore, Vlorë
- SEEP
- Shërbimi Ligjor Falas Tiranë (TLAS)
- Shoqata Artizanatit Pogradec
- Shoqata e Grave Profesioniste, Afariste & Zejtare, Shkodër
- Shoqata Gruaja drejt Integrimit, Pukë
- Shoqata Maqedonase “Ilinden”, Tiranë
- Shoqata per Integrimin e Zonave Informale (SHIZI)
- Tjetër Vizion, Elbasan
- #ZeriIntegrimit
