Supporter of SPAK and justice reform/ Collen Hyland appointed US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans

2025-03-14 21:07:00, Aktualitet CNA

Supporter of SPAK and justice reform/ Collen Hyland appointed US Deputy

Supporter of SPAK and justice reform/ Collen Hyland is appointed US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans.

The United States has appointed Colleen Hyland to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans. She will replace Alexandru Sashi Kasanof, who previously held the position. Colleen Hyland previously served as Director of the Office for Southwest Europe.

Hyland is a seasoned career diplomat who has served in U.S. diplomatic missions in Baghdad, Kabul, and Pristina.

She speaks Albanian and has extensive experience in the fight against corruption.

Hyland is a supporter of SPAK and justice reform and has stated this position before.

"Albania has made excellent progress thanks to SPAK, which is an organization that has done extraordinary work. Surveys show that SPAK has earned the respect of the country's citizens because it helps the country address corruption issues.

"The SPAK, according to her, must be preserved and strengthened in order to send a very strong signal to foreign investors and Albanians to invest in their country, while the US is ready to further assist Albania on its path to European integration," Hyland previously stated in an interview with Voice of America.

About a year ago, on September 16, 2024, Colleen Hyland, then Director of the Bureau for South and Central Europe at the US Department of State, held a meeting with the Director of SPAK, Altin Dumani.

In her announcements, Hyland stated that Albania has the full support of the United States for SPAK and independent institutions, emphasizing the key role of justice reform.

“During her visit to Tirana today, Colleen Hyland, Director of the Bureau of South and Central Europe at the U.S. Department of State, met with SPAK Director Altin Dumani. Ms. Hyland reiterated the United States’ full support for SPAK and Albania’s independent institutions, emphasizing the key role of justice reform in advancing Albania’s journey toward its Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” Hyland’s message, released by the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, read. /CNA