A letter sent by Republican US congressmen Joe Wilson and Keith Self to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has brought the state of democracy, corruption and the rule of law in Albania back to the center of public debate.
Wilson, a Republican representative from South Carolina, and Self, a Republican from Texas and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, have asked the US administration to consider restricting visas for Albanian officials suspected of involvement in significant corruption.
Të lidhura
None found
In the document, the two lawmakers also expressed concern about the continuation of judicial reform. They argue that, despite substantial financial and political support from the United States, the results achieved so far remain fragile and could be reversed.
Wilson and Self have asked that the application of Section 7031(c) of US legislation be considered. This provision gives the US secretary of state the authority to bar foreign officials from entering the United States when there is credible information that they have been involved in significant corruption. In certain circumstances, the measure can also be extended to their immediate family members.
A specific section of the letter concerns former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who has been investigated over allegations of interference in public procurement procedures. Parliament rejected prosecutors’ request to lift her immunity so that she could be arrested. Prime Minister Edi Rama had opposed the request, calling it unconstitutional.
The congressmen have also requested information about US assistance for judicial reform and the US Embassy in Tirana’s cooperation with Albanian institutions to protect protesters and journalists. The US administration has been asked to respond by November 5.
The initiative has raised questions about whether Washington is preparing to take a tougher stance toward Albanian officials suspected of corruption, and whether possible visa restrictions could affect political developments in the country.
However, it remains unclear whether the concerns expressed by Wilson and Self will be followed by concrete measures and what consequences they might have for relations between Albania and the United States.
In comments to “Bota sot,” publicists Ilir Çumani and Llesh Ndoj discussed the messages from the US Congress, the possibility of visa restrictions and the impact such a decision could have on Albanian politics.
Çumani: US visas must not be a privilege for corrupt officials
Publicist Ilir Çumani sees the letter from the two US congressmen not only as a diplomatic development but also as a strong signal about public officials’ accountability and respect for the law.
In his view, corruption at the highest levels of power threatens democracy, citizens’ interests and trust in institutions.
Çumani said the letter from Joe Wilson and Keith Self to Marco Rubio should not be treated as an ordinary statement that will be forgotten without affecting Albanian politics. He said the document once again highlights the principle that no one, regardless of office, power or political influence, is above the law.
The publicist considers the initiative to restrict US visas for senior Albanian officials involved in significant corruption important. Such corruption at the highest levels, he said, is not merely a legal violation but also puts the functioning of democracy and the rule of law at risk.
Çumani said corruption by senior officials must be punished with the full force of the law, because it strikes at the public interest, impoverishes citizens, damages the common wealth, weakens trust in institutions and undermines the foundations of democracy.
Speaking about judicial reform, he said citizens’ expectations cannot be limited to promises to fight impunity. Those promises must be accompanied by tangible results, particularly when investigations involve officials at the highest levels of power.
Çumani criticized double standards and stressed that justice must be applied equally to everyone. He added that it is not acceptable to demand justice for ordinary citizens while powerful officials are tolerated or protected by political influence.
“The promise that no one will be untouchable must not remain a political slogan. It must be demonstrated through action and concrete results. In a state governed by the rule of law, no official should be above the law,” the publicist said.
In his view, strategic relations with the United States cannot be reduced to declarations of friendship, diplomatic photographs or political rhetoric. They must be based on democracy, transparency, the rule of law and an uncompromising fight against corruption.
Çumani noted that Albania is a NATO member and aspires to join the European Union. These are not badges to be used for political gain, he said, but commitments that require independent institutions and high democratic standards.
He stressed that Albania cannot claim to be pursuing European integration while corruption at the highest levels of government and politics remains a serious problem.
Regarding Section 7031(c), Çumani said the US mechanism allows authorities to bar foreign officials from entering the United States and, in specified cases, their immediate family members, when there is credible information of involvement in significant corruption or serious human rights abuses.
He explained that such a measure should not be seen as punishment of Albania or its citizens, but as an instrument aimed at specific individuals. At the same time, Çumani stressed that an official under investigation is not automatically guilty, an accused person is not considered convicted, and any decision must be based on evidence, legal criteria and fair procedures.
Nevertheless, he said, public office, a diplomatic passport, power or political connections cannot serve as a shield against accountability. If an Albanian official is barred from entering the United States because of documented corruption, that would show that public accountability does not end at the borders of the country where power is exercised.
The publicist also linked the importance of the initiative to protecting SPAK and guaranteeing the independence of judicial institutions. He said the reform cannot be considered successful simply because new structures have been established; it must be judged by their ability to investigate without political pressure and without treating officials differently.
According to Çumani, if justice targets only the weak while the powerful continue to be protected through political influence, citizens’ trust in the state will keep declining.
He acknowledged that the primary responsibility for building a state governed by the rule of law rests with Albania, and that the country cannot delegate to Washington or Brussels the task of cleaning up its politics. However, he added that international partners have the right to demand accountability, particularly after investing politically and financially in Albania’s institutional reform.
Çumani said the significance of the letter is not limited to the possibility of visa restrictions. The fact that corruption, judicial independence and the functioning of Albanian democracy are being discussed at important levels of US policymaking is itself a significant signal, he said.
He said the US administration’s response will show whether this approach will be followed by concrete steps. In his view, the decision should not be prejudged, and any assessment must be based on facts and equal standards for everyone, regardless of political affiliation.
“Albania does not need politicians who worry about losing the privilege of traveling to America. It needs honest officials with integrity and dignity, who think about citizens, public money, justice and the lost trust in the state,” Çumani said.
He added that a democracy is not measured by the number of officials who hold US visas, but by the number who are held accountable under the law. In his view, America should not be a place where officials who have betrayed citizens’ trust go to enjoy privileges gained through abuse of office.
Referring to recent developments, Çumani linked the US initiative to the confrontation between the governing majority and SPAK over the Belinda Balluku case, and Parliament’s rejection of the request to lift her immunity.
He warned that a concrete response from Washington, whether through visa restrictions or other legal mechanisms, could alter relations with certain Albanian government officials. In his view, how the governing majority acts toward the justice system from this point on could also affect Albania’s international credibility.
“Albania may be entering a new phase of international scrutiny and pressure over corruption and judicial independence. The letter from Joe Wilson and Keith Self should not be underestimated, especially in the context of the confrontation with SPAK over the Belinda Balluku case,” he said.
Çumani stressed that the central issue is not the privilege of traveling to America, but respect for the rule of law. A government that seeks to be a strategic partner of the United States and a serious candidate for European Union membership must demonstrate that justice is not dictated by the interests of those in power and that no one is above the law, he said.
He said Washington’s response and the governing majority’s stance toward SPAK could affect both the political climate in the coming months and Albania’s international image.
In conclusion, Çumani said the debate raised by the US congressmen should be viewed as a national issue, not a clash between political parties. The law and the accountability of public officials, he said, must be non-negotiable principles.
“It is unacceptable for people suspected of harming the country’s interests to continue enjoying privileges abroad while citizens wait for justice and accountability at home. In a true democracy, no one should be untouchable—not in Tirana, not in Washington and nowhere else,” Ilir Çumani concluded in comments to “Bota sot.”
Ndoj: US signals should be taken seriously, but strategic relations do not depend on individual cases
Publicist Llesh Ndoj believes the positions taken by the United States are particularly important for Albania and can directly influence political developments in the country.
In his view, messages from Washington should be read carefully and not interpreted solely through the lens of Albanian domestic political interests.
Ndoj said the request by the two congressmen to Secretary of State Rubio—expressing concern about democracy in Albania and calling for corrupt officials to be punished by being barred from traveling to the United States—should be followed closely.
He said US positions on developments affecting Albanians more broadly are particularly important, while their significance is even greater for the Albanian state because of the population’s broadly pro-American orientation.
The publicist suggested waiting for further clarification of the diplomatic language and for more concrete positions to be conveyed through the US ambassador to Albania. Albanians, he said, often interpret diplomatic messages in line with their own interests and expectations.
Ndoj is skeptical about the possibility of a change in US policy toward the Albanian government. He believes the United States may call for greater respect for democratic standards, but that does not necessarily mean Washington will change its position toward Albania’s government.
“I do not believe the United States will take an entirely different position toward the Albanian government. There may be a reprimand urging greater democracy, but the Americans have been present for years, and the Rama 1–4 governments have not acted differently from their advice,” he said.
On the possibility of visa restrictions, Ndoj said signals from the United States should always be taken seriously, analyzed promptly and assessed properly. However, he does not believe measures against one or several officials would change the fundamental nature of bilateral relations.
“I do not know whether one or several officials will be sanctioned, but even if that happens, relations will not change. Just look at the Berisha case, the fact that two former deputy prime ministers are facing prison, and that other ministers are serving time or may have prison as their inevitable destination. Albania-US relations extend beyond individual cases,” Ndoj stressed.
In closing, the publicist reiterated that the partnership between Albania and the United States remains strong despite political developments and possible measures against individual officials.
According to Llesh Ndoj, the strategic relationship between the two countries is far more important than individual cases and is not expected to be harmed by developments of this kind.
“Relations with the United States, even if they experience fluctuations, remain strategic and are untouchable from the Albanian side. I believe the American side sees it the same way,” Llesh Ndoj concluded in comments to “Bota sot.”
