Albania leads the region for the high and unchanged level of corruption

The observation includes the countries of the Western Balkans, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia Herzegovina, which are supported with financial assistance from the European Union through programs that promote the integration of these countries.

All the graphs produced by the survey conducted among the population of these countries during the years 2022-2024, put Albania at the top of the perception of high corruption, the level of bribery and the lack of belief that corruption could be defeated.

The corruption perception curve for Albania remains at the same level as a decade ago, while neighboring countries show a downward trend in recent years.

"In 2023/2024, Albanians were the most vulnerable to corruption, as 80% of the Albanian population is inclined to accept or offer bribes," the report states.

With the exception of Kosovo and Montenegro, the percentage of individuals who report that they have given bribes to public officials is approximately at the level of a decade ago in other countries as well.

Albanians show a lack of confidence with the drop to 20% of optimism in the anti-corruption fight in contrast to other countries, where there is a slight increase in the belief that corruption can be fought.

According to SELDI, the data show that "anti-corruption policies in the region do not tend to produce a lasting effect".

The survey data were discussed on Thursday at the Regional Forum on Good Governance on the topic "Anti-Corruption and State Capture Policies - Progress towards EU membership of the Western Balkan countries".

The Ambassador of the European Union in Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, appealed to find mechanisms to change this situation, describing the data for the countries included in the study as "much higher than the EU average".

Referring to Albania, he said that "we expect the government's work on the anti-corruption strategy to be approved and fully implemented, especially in the Cadastre, Taxation, Customs, public procurement, education and health sectors".

While in a message to the entire region, he emphasized that it was important not to undermine the efforts made against corruption.

"It is important that partners in the region avoid actions that undermine the anti-corruption fight, for example weakening transparency in public procurement, or commissioned legal acts that bypass standard procedures, or limiting the mandates of independent anti-corruption bodies, " he said.

The ambassador emphasized the strengthening and independence of civil society and its active involvement in the consultations for the shaping of anti-corruption policies and their monitoring.

Invited to the meeting, the head of the Special Prosecutor's Office, Altin Dumani, categorized the efforts of the countries of the region in this direction in three stages, the construction of special anti-corruption structures, the creation of good legislation that guarantees their independence and the creation of conditions technical, tools and technology to work these structures.

Referring to the work of the structure that he leads, Dumani said that he has scored successes in his 5 years of life and that he has the capacities and skills to prosecute various subjects. regardless of their political or public profile and the high profiles of organized crime.

He added that the fight against corruption and organized crime is not an institutional challenge of SPAK alone, but requires the special commitment of all institutions and civil society in particular.

The Speaker of the Parliament, Elisa Spiropali, invited to greet, spoke of the commitment and will of the majority that has been governing the country for a decade to support anti-corruption institutions, without commenting on the findings of the survey.

While the Minister of State for Administration and Anti-corruption, Adea Pirdeni, presented a series of legal steps and action mechanisms, which according to her, the government is undertaking to minimize the opportunities for corruption.

But the representative of the opposition, Jorida Tabaku, was critical of the government's commitments, referring to SELDI's observation as worrying about the corruption situation in the country.

She said that the parliament passed commissioned laws that show "state capture" and that the government's negotiating document for EU membership does not provide for real anti-corruption measures.

"The government should change this and not design integration processes on paper and anti-corruption strategies on paper," added Tabaku.

The observation presented at the forum emphasizes the inefficiency of anti-corruption policies and financial assistance of the European Union to these countries.

"The prevalence of bribery for over 20 years and its recent findings show that achievements in corruption control have been disappointing," he concludes. Reporter.al