EU & US call on qualified Albanians to apply for new justice vetting structures

Tirana, Albania (Tirana Echo) – As a deadline for applications for new ‘Vetting’ structures which will scan all current and future judges and prosecutors of Albania approaches, the EU and US missions in the country have called on qualified Albanians to apply, amid fears of lack of candidates to fill in the new vacant positions.

The so called ‘Vetting’ process is one of the most crucial phases of the new reform of the corrupt justice system of Albania and fears are mounting ahead of the Thursday deadline, as very few people have applied to fill positions in the new vetting structures.

As the Thursday deadline approaches, fears are raised that an insufficient number of applicants could further delay the vetting process which will start off the much needed justice reform in corruption-rigged Balkan country.

Today the EU Delegation in Tirana called on “qualified Albanians to apply to serve at the new reassessment commission”.

Earlier on, the US Embassy in Tirana had also called on ‘qualified patriot Albanians’ to apply for the new vetting commissions, encouraging people to go to the Ombudsman website for more information.

Last week, the Ombudsman of Albania Igli Totozani, in charge of the process, rung the alarm bells by confirming that “only one candidate has applied in a week to be part of the vetting institutions”, asking foreign Embassies and Albanians living abroad to apply, despite very tough criteria and conditions to be fulfilled.

The US and the European Union hope that through the newly approved constitutional package which will produce an overhaul of the old corrupt justice system in Albania, new vetting institutions will be able to bar corrupt officials occupying high positions in the courts and prosecution office from being part of the new justice institutions.

Earlier last week, the US Ambassador to Tirana Donald Lu clashed with the country’s General Prosecutor accusing him of standing in the way of justice reform.

The deadline for applications for the new vetting structures is this Thursday and all requests are sent to the Office of Ombudsman.