Noticias

The Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, Nils Muiznieks, said corruption in the Albanian judiciary "seriously impedes the proper functioning of the judiciary and undermines public trust in justice and the rule of law in Albania.

“The authorities have to step up their efforts to ensure that all cases of corruption in the judiciary are effectively investigated and prosecuted,” he added.

According to Transparency International, Albania is the most corrupt country in Balkans and one of the most corrupt in Europe.

Albania's current Defence Minister, Mimi Kodheli, said the charges were backed by evidence, and had been prepared by a group of experts.

“I call on the general prosecutor to investigate these procedures that led to the massive abuse of state money,” she said.

Arben Imami served as defence minister from 2009-to-2013 in the centre-right government of Sali Berisha.

He is accused of holding a number of illegal tenders for the broadcast of TV adverts for the Ministry of Defence. If found guilty, the ex-minister risks seven years of imprisonment.

Rama said that the reconstruction of the cabinet "has been based on a detailed analysis of the current government and all its branches, which in our opinion contains parasitcal structures and require cuts".

The new cabinet will have 19 ministries, four more than the outgoing government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, he noted.

Rama’s Socialist-led alliance won a landslide victory in the June 23 parliamentary election, winning 84 of the 140 seats in parliament.

As the vote count continued for a third day on Tuesday, the left-wing opposition held onto its lead that would likely secure it 84 of the 140 seats in Albania’s parliament.

Socialist leader Edi Rama called on Prime Minister Sali Berisha to concede defeat, while underlining the importance that the remaining ballots are counted without further delay.  

“We calmly wait for our opponent to concede defeat,” Rama said at a press conference.

“This is the time for all parties to work together so that the counting process can end, and Albania can move on,” he added.

Polling stations open on Sunday for what will undoubtedly be one of the most closely scrutinised elections in Albania’s recent history.  

Standing by to ensure a free and fair election will by an army of more than 8,000 local and international observers. 

Facing a difficult transition to democracy since the collapse of the Communist regime in 1991, Albania’s elections have been routinely marred by fraud and violence. 

The last elections in 2009 sparked a political crisis between the ruling Democrats and opposition Socialists that still reverberates. 

Thousands of ruling party supporters gathered in Mother Theresa Square in Tirana on Monday, waving the party’s flag and chanting Berisha’s name after he walked onto the stage.

“The June 23 parliamentary elections present a big choice for Albanian citizens,” Berisha told his cheering supporters.

“Our alternative has at heart your freedom, wealth and free enterprise, while the opposition wants to raise taxes and make Albania a country that works for its government,” he said.