Analysis: Will the start of the new phase of negotiations with the EU improve the fight against corruption in Albania?

In October, Albania opened Cluster 1, consisting of five negotiating chapters, with the European Union, joining Montenegro and Serbia as the third Western Balkan candidate country to open negotiation chapters, EWB writes . It officially opened accession talks together with North Macedonia in July 2022.

The Council of the European Union, currently chaired by Hungary, adopted the European Union Common Position, setting out the conditions that Albania must meet in the areas covered by Group 1, while the European Commission recognised some achievements that Albania made in this area. of the fight against corruption.

In the latest EC report on Albania, the country is between the level of preparedness and the average level of preparedness – corresponding to a score of 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 – and has shown some progress in the fight against corruption. The report assesses 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 vetting of all judges and prosecutors is imminent at 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 issues related to the protection of the EU's financial interests, the European Commission stated.

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

He assesses that the European Commission's report provides a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of Albania's efforts against corruption, 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 their associated 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 realistically reflected in the latest report of the European Commission, which gives a sober assessment of the issue," says Preçi.

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

“This is only possible when government law enforcement agencies have a certain degree of integrity and professionalism, are free from politicization and party 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,” Preçi explains.

In addition, he adds that there is a need to simultaneously strengthen government accountability and transparency, expand public participation in decision-making, improve public sector administration, and engage civil society institutions.

Preçi underlines the importance of rigorously respecting the separation of powers to achieve sustainable results and mitigate the impact of corruption on the economic and social aspects of society.

"Anti-corruption programs and strategies should not only involve the government sector, but also require the active participation of the private business sector and the public. The involvement of the private sector should be seen as a means to reduce the informal economy and to limit the spaces in which members of national and international organized crime are active," he adds.

According to Preçi, the opening of the first chapters is a major historical moment for the success of Albania's fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance.

"It is hoped that this will mark the end of the 'Potemkin facades' of anti-corruption reforms, which, unfortunately, have been all too prevalent in the last decade," Preçi concludes.