Ambassador Gonzato: SPAK, synonymous with success in Albania

2024-12-19 10:54:00, Aktualitet CNA

Ambassador Gonzato: SPAK, synonymous with success in Albania

EU Ambassador in Tirana, Silvio Gonzato

On the 5th anniversary of SPAK's establishment, the EU ambassador in Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, described the Special Prosecutor's Office as a key element of justice reform.

Gonzato said that SPAK is synonymous with success in Albania in just a few years, as it has made great achievements.

He stated that SPAK has faced many challenges, with the culture of impunity and the culture of political interference in justice, but he emphasized that it is giving good results in the fight against corruption and organized crime.

Excerpts from the speech:

It is a great pleasure to be a part of this celebration, the 5th anniversary of SPAK. A week that started with the opening of negotiations of the chapter group, the EU-Western Balkans summit, today we celebrate this important element of the justice reform that made it possible to start negotiations for EU membership. The creation of a strong and independent institution to fight corruption and organized crime has been a key element. Many of you have been there since the beginning, the first steps that SPAK has taken in 2019. We are faced with a state that has struggled with a culture of impunity and a history that politics has with interference in the justice system. We have supported them since day one and will continue to do so in the future. Let's look at the achievements so far. In terms of organization, SPAK has created a solid framework that can efficiently support all the elements of its mandate. From the functional point of view, SPAK has provided good results in some high-profile cases, it has recovered millions of euros of assets of individuals benefited through corruption. They have helped to attack criminal organizations in Albania and outside Albania, SPAK is synonymous with success in Albania in just a few years. It is the Albanian citizens who believe that SPAK is the most trusted institution in Albania, this is proof of your strong work. We must also look to the future, we must not rest on our laurels, the outcome of the EU membership process will continue to rely on the capacity and work it will do to fight organized crime and corruption. By seizing and confiscating these assets that have been placed in an illegal form.

The recent appointment of the deputy director of the BKH not only fulfills the law but paves the way for the creation of the judicial police that will help the investigators. Secondly, increasing efficiency in financial investigations is an important aspect, including cooperation with the evidence sector, banks.

SPAK is not and should not be the only institution in the fight against corruption and organized crime. It is important that SPAK focuses on resources and further elaborates sophisticated instruments to combat these issues at a high level. This reinforcement of the work that needs to be done will bring back more public confidence in the rule of law. It is the responsibility of all such institutions, it should be a concerted effort throughout society./ CNA