Wikileaks: Albania “Too Corrupt” for Substantial Aid - The protracted death of democratic Albania

11.9.2011 by ctstmaser.

 8.9.2011: European Council on Foreign Relations: The protracted death of democratic Albania

Wikileaks: Albania “Too Corrupt” for Substantial Aid
Tuesday, 30 August 2011 12:54
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Cables leaked from the U.S. Embassy in Albania written in 2009 reveal that concern about corruption at all levels of Albanian government led officials to withdraw substantial portions of aid money.

A cable penned by US Ambassador in Tirana John Withers warned a U.S. aid agency, the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), that Albania did not have the transparency nor the technical capacity to manage the potential hundreds of millions that could be disbursed under the program.

“Corruption in Albania remains endemic and entrenched at all levels of government and society,” he wrote on November 13, 2009.

Withers acknowledged an increase in trials for corruption, but said those were mainly for lower-level government officials, while Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his family, high level opposition figures, and numerous parliamentarians were perpetrating large scale corruption without punishment.

He said he had serious doubts that the money would be spent according to the MCC’s aid priorities.

“Without a tight oversight mechanism, the Embassy cannot be sure that substantial

amounts of US taxpayer money would not go to wrongful and illegal uses,” he cautioned.

He also warned that the Albanian “lacks the necessary expertise and bureaucratic structures necessary to manage its money in all but the most elementary ways.”

The MCC made two grants to Albania for $13.8 million and $15.7 million in 2006 and 2008 respectively, but becoming a “compact member” would have made it eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in aid. However, that aid was never extended even though Albania met the criteria, possibly because of Withers’ cable.

http://www.reportingproject.net

Original wikeleaks cabel Albanien

USA: Concerned for Albania
09/09/2011 19:00

The United States expressed their concern for the consequences of the political stalemate in Albania after the May 8th local elections, which are withholding the further reforms that Albania needs to receive the EU candidate status.

The declaration came by the US ambassador at the OSCE, Ian Kelly, during a meeting at the Permanent Council of OSCE in Vienna.

“The United States greets the decision of the Socialist Party for returning in Parliament. Washington appeals the Socialist Party to fulfill its commitment for a complete and active participation in the Parliament, and at the same time appeals the ruling coalition to create a more inclusive political climate”, ambassador Kelly declared.

Kelly expressed the concern of his government regarding corruption in Albania, which according to him is still problematic.

“We have taken some steps in the right decision, such as the accordance of the Albanian legislation with the international one against corruption, and the establishment of the electronic system in tenders. But war against corruption can succeed only if political parties will not use it for their own benefit”, he underlined.

As for the organized crime, Mr. Kelly declared that Albania has reached progress in the war against this phenomenon and the traffic of human beings.

For the US ambassador in Vienna, US and Albania have excellent relations and both countries are committed to strengthen the connections of the governments with other peoples.

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