Will the opening of the first group-chapters with the EU improve the fight against corruption in Albania

2024-12-07 19:45:00, Aktualitet CNA

Will the opening of the first group-chapters with the EU improve the fight

In October, Albania opened the first chapter, consisting of five negotiating chapters, with the European Union, joining Montenegro and Serbia as the third candidate country of the Western Balkans to open the negotiating chapters, writes European Western Balkans .

It officially opened accession talks with North Macedonia in July 2022.

The Council of the European Union, currently chaired by Hungary, adopted the Common Position of the European Union, defining the conditions that Albania must fulfill in the areas covered by group 1, while the European Commission recognized some achievements that Albania made in this area. of the fight against corruption.

In the latest EC report on Albania, this country is between the level of preparation and the average level of preparation – corresponding to a grade of 2.5 on a scale from 1 to 5 – and has shown some progress in the fight against corruption. The report estimates that the implementation of the vetting process has had a positive impact on the fight against corruption in the judiciary. According to the European Commission, the completion of the verification of all judges and prosecutors is inevitable in the first instance with 794 cases closed out of 805.

The Specialized Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has continued to deliver good results by further advancing the prosecution and investigation of complex anti-corruption cases, including those involving politicians and high-level officials, as well as matters related to with the protection of the EU's financial interests, the European Commission declared.

Will the opening of the first group-chapters with the EU improve the fight

SPAK

Zef Preci, Executive Director of the Albanian Center for Economic Research (ACER), estimates that it is well known that in Albania, as well as in other countries of the Western Balkans, there has been a significant increase in attention to the fight against corruption in the years recently, where corruption has been identified as one of the main causes of economic stagnation and political instability in the country.

He appreciates that the European Commission's report provides a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of Albania's anti-corruption efforts, presenting a nuanced picture of the current state of the fight against corruption in the country.

However, he believes that corruption remains one of the most widespread forms of crime, especially within the political elite, "white collar" criminals and related businesses.

"It undermines good governance, diverts public resources in favor of the oligarchy and contributes to the emigration of citizens, which in turn strengthens authoritarian tendencies and undermines democracy itself. This situation is really reflected in the last report of the European Commission, which gives a clear assessment of the issue", says Preçi.

He underlines that for the success of the fight against corruption, there are still some challenges that Albania must address, such as the continuous identification of corrupt acts by politicians and high officials and holding the perpetrators accountable.

Zef Preci

"This is only possible when government law enforcement agencies have a certain degree of integrity and professionalism, are free from politicization and partisan control, and when citizens trust and support their activities. In this process, both preventive measures to curb corruption and mitigate its negative effects, as well as unwavering support for the Special Anti-Corruption Agency (SPAK), are of critical importance," explains Preçi.

In addition, he adds that there is a need for the simultaneous strengthening of government accountability and transparency, the expansion of public participation in decision-making, the improvement of public sector administration and the engagement of civil society institutions.

Preçi underlines the importance of strictly respecting the separation of powers in order to achieve sustainable results and mitigate the impact of corruption on the economic and social aspects of society./ CNA