Have been quite busy since the beginning of this new year
with not much time for blog postings, but two very recent items that regard
Albania in general are popping out all over the news and they are worth taking
notice about.
The first one is a good one since it puts Albania as the number
4 country worth visiting on the NY Times travel list of “52 Places to go in
2014”. This reconfirms the good trend, also established last year by travel
agents, for pleasurable tourism in the still not too well known by many, and
for some still mysterious nation. Here is the piece written on this paper by Tim
Neville.
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The other news that does not speak well for Albania,
unfortunately, is even more important since it greatly affects this country’s way
of life and its aspiration of becoming a worthy member of Europe. I am referring
to the damning report from Europe Commissioner of Human Rights, which has just
become public.
Corruption and political inference are undermining the
effectiveness of Albania’s judicial system, the Commissioner for Human rights
warned today.
“The high level of corruption in the judiciary seriously
impedes the proper functioning of the judiciary and undermines public trust in
justice and the rule of law in Albania,” said Nils Muižnieks.
“The authorities have to step up their efforts to ensure
that all cases of corruption in the judiciary are effectively investigated and
prosecuted.”
Muižnieks has published a report on the country following
his visit last September.
He welcomes the national reform strategy and action plan to
strengthen Albania’s judiciary but states that “more resolute action is needed,
including more transparency and merit-based procedures in appointing and
evaluating judges.”
The commissioner recommends
depoliticizing the functioning of the judiciary, starting by strengthening the
independence of the High Council of Justice, which ensures the integrity of
Albania’s judiciary.
“The members of this council should be elected by a
qualified majority in parliament and should exert a more decisive influence on
the appointment, promotion and disciplinary proceedings of judges, including
those of the Supreme Court.
“Any improper political interference in the functioning of
the judiciary should be avoided. This includes removing the involvement of the
Minister of Justice in the disciplinary proceedings against judges.”
The commissioner also encourages the authorities to adopt
“necessary legislative measures” which would provide for a qualified majority
in the parliament’s vote and consent concerning the appointment of the General
Prosecutor by the President of the Republic.
Muižnieks signals that the “very slow pace” at which Albania
implements judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, notably those
relating to the non-enforcement of domestic court and administrative decisions,
is an additional factor which considerably weakens the rule of law in the
country.
“All judgments delivered by the Court must be promptly,
fully and effectively implemented. In particular, the authorities have to
address the persistent problem of excessive length of judicial proceedings, and
create an effective domestic remedy in this regard.”
The long-standing problem of ill-treatment and of impunity
for serious human rights violations committed by law enforcement officers,
including those relating to the violent events of 21 January 2011 in Tirana,
continue to be an issue of serious concern.
“I am very concerned at the increase of recorded incidents
of ill-treatment, including torture,” said Muižnieks. “It is urgent to
investigate all these cases along with the reported unlawful acts by law
enforcement officers committed during and after the events of 21 January 2011
and to bring those responsible to justice.
“For the process to be credible and conducive to a restored
public confidence in the state and its institutions, it is important to impose
adequate, dissuasive penalties on any law enforcement official involved in
serious human rights violations.”
Having had family ancestors that upheld the rule of law, and
were known throughout their lives for their moral, honorable and righteous
conduct, I can attest that Albania was a model of rightful and swift judiciary performance
since time immemorial, even when the ancient laws were transmitted only orally
from generation to generation, but now it can almost be considered in competition
with similar situations that do, regrettably, also exist in many other developed and
democratic countries.
While warm, generous hospitality, and friendliness on the
part of individual Albanians are now touted unanimously by anyone that visits the country,
these good qualities cannot sufficiently counterbalance the unlikable,
ineffective, and loathsome conditions described in the above report. My
sincere wish is that with better and continuous education of the younger
generations, who should, and are proud of their past, these negative traits will
be overcome in time and better characters will be forged to responsibly run
honest lives for themselves and their fellow citizens.
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