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Question marks over the institution's independence/ A Croat and two former socialist deputy ministers head the College of Europe in Tirana

2025-12-04 18:07:00, Aktualitet CNA

Question marks over the institution's independence/ A Croat and two former

Journalist Alba Kepi has raised questions today regarding the names leading the European College branch in Tirana.

Kepi ??states that the College is currently led by a Croat and two former deputy ministers, expressing her doubts about the independence of the composition of the leadership group. 

"How independent is the College of Europe in Tirana, whose rector Federica Mogherini has been indicted by the European and Belgian Prosecutors for corruption?

The College of Europe in Tirana, now in its second academic year, is led by a Croatian professor Igor Vida?ak, and behind him two former Deputy Ministers of the Albanian socialist government, Gentian Elezi (2013-2016) and Odeta Barbullushi (2015-2019).

This composition raises important questions about the political and geopolitical independence of the institution. 

Igor Vidaçak comes from a neighboring country in the region, while Gentian Elezi and Odeta Barbullushi have close ties to the structures of the former socialist government in Albania.
No one questions their academic experience, but this composition creates a dilemma: how independent and neutral can an institution be considered that is led by figures with strong political connections and by a regional expert with positions that may conflict with Albanian national interests?

Can this academic combination help students and young professionals independently understand the complexity of European regional processes?

On the other hand, the composition of this department raises serious dilemmas for the public and institutional perception of the College. 

The political connections of Elezit and Barbullushi could be perceived as a political factor within an academic institution. 
These elements could weaken the College's credibility in shaping Albanian elites in diplomacy, European integration, and public policy.

The independence and legitimacy of the College do not depend simply on the academic qualifications of the directors, but on transparency, the management of political perceptions and the assurance that academic institutions are not guided by external interests or political pasts. Only through this approach can the College be accepted as a real platform for the formation of independent Albanian elites capable of acting in politics and European integration.
And what has happened is that the moment has come for transparency to be a political obligation that must be demanded in the Albanian Parliament", - Kepi expresses./CNA 

Question marks over the institution's independence/ A Croat and two formerQuestion marks over the institution's independence/ A Croat and two formerQuestion marks over the institution's independence/ A Croat and two former





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