Macovei: “Trust judiciary. No good seeking foreign help”

Top Channel: What is your opinion about the reaction of the opposition during the inter-parliamentary meeting, and what are your main concerns regarding our country, which you have already visited?

Monica Macovei, Head of the EP Delegation for Albania: My main concern based on what I have seen, is that maybe there really is no political consensus between the opposition and the majority. I have been involved in several battles during my life and there have been people shouting at me, or shouting at each other in the government and other places. That’s why this was not something new for me, and I can survive to this. I am not intimidated when people around me are shouting, but this is not good for the people, because what I see in Albania is only scandal, scandal, scandal. It is good that you have agreed together on some points. I understand that this is the role between the majority and the opposition, but there are objectives such as the EU accession, or historic moments during this path of Albania, for which all politicians should be united. The Albanian people value this, despite their political affiliations, and this comes before any political battle.

Top Channel: Do you think that Albania is closer to the opening of the negotiations after the last Inter-Parliamentary meeting, in which the opposition claimed they didn’t have enough time, as it has been said so far in these cases?

Macovei: I will start with the last one. Yes, the opposition had enough time and even more than that, because the Ministers were the first ones to speak. The Ministers come in Parliament, give reports and the Parliament Members pose questions. This is how it is done with committees in other countries. I do not understand why there is an exception here. This is the procedure. We discuss, but the opposition makes question. Each of them had 10 minutes and I allowed the opposition to speak more than that. I stopped the others somehow. But I do not mind. As for the most important thing, the EU accession negotiations, yes, they are possible and what needs to be done is stopping this fight. You must work together and this is something that can be done overnight. Prepare for the June elections with a clear list of candidates, since these are the first elections. Those who are in Parliament and who are being accused or are under suspicion about anything, should resign. If they don’t do this, the party should demand their resignation. This is the time to act.”

Top Channel:  What is your opinion about the arrest of the two Parliament Members, as part of the judiciary reform? Do you suspect there is political influence on this case?

Macovei: I cannot say if the Prosecution’s request for removing their immunity and arresting these Parliament Members is based on evidence or if it has been taken independently, without influences. I can only hope it was like that. But we will see it in the end if they have acted properly, when they will be made public. That is why I say that we need investigations and conclusive results. People should receive a conclusion based on the published evidence. People must trust the system and now you are in a delicate moment. When you start making changes, some people will suspect if they are true and if there are influences. When they are real, serious and without influence of interests, there are results and evidence to convince the people of Albania, not us. We trust you. We see these accusations and we wait for the arguments, the evidence and the final conclusions. It is not good that your country seeks help from the international community, for foreign prosecutors and judges for these investigations. I have heard this too. You have received the candidate status and we are now talking about opening the EU accession negotiations. You are on the right track. One of the most important reforms is that of the judiciary, and you say you have taken good steps about this. How is it possible, the? There is no honest and independent prosecutor or judge in Albania to do this? If you keep acting like this, you will see that everything will be blocked and the negotiations will not open.

Top Channel: What will be the consequences in case there is no final declaration from the inter-parliamentary Committee?

Macovei: It is not good, despite the idea that ‘It was the same as the last year’, or ‘this is what happens every year.’ OK, it is always the time to change. We had a final declaration that was very good for me. I made the draft of the European Parliament and discussed it with the politicians. We allowed the changes like they requested. I saw that everyone of them accepted them, but then it was undone simply because someone outside said ‘No'”.

Top Channel: Someone outside the meeting?

Macovei: The one who decides, because the people in the meeting had accepted the text. This was a failure for them, not for me. I told them how we can talk with each other. They want to yell. That’s OK, but did it bring anything good? They simply brought the media inside and started yelling. I think the people have had enough with this. I am not shocked. We stood until the end for reaching an agreement, because this is how we work, without yelling. We try to discuss and reach an agreement. I will propose concrete rules for this committee, so that everyone can be informed on time about the procedures, and the media too. This is part of the transparency.

Prepared by: Arta Tozaj

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