Bardhi accuses the majority in the EP: Political protection of senior officials involved in corruption is hindering European integration

PD parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi has targeted Albania’s ruling majority, accusing it of obstructing the work of democratic institutions and damaging the country’s path toward European integration.

At the EU-Albania joint meeting in the European Parliament, Bardhi said the Albanian Parliament has drifted away from its role of controlling and overseeing the government, turning, in his words, into a “notary of executive decisions.”

He also criticized the stance of the majority, which refused a parliamentary debate on the European Parliament’s Resolution on Albania, arguing that such conduct is not in line with European democratic standards.

“The Albanian Parliament is not leading the European integration process, because it no longer exercises the constitutional functions for which it was elected: it does not take legislative initiatives, it does not ensure government accountability, and it does not exercise effective control and oversight,” Bardhi said.

In an important part of his speech, the Democratic Party lawmaker focused on the case of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, accusing the majority of blocking the lifting of her immunity following a request by SPAK.

The full speech delivered at the EU-Albania joint meeting:

Dear colleagues,

Like many of you in this room, I am convinced that the way a Parliament functions does not only determine the quality of the European integration process. It also shows the level of democracy itself.

Unfortunately, in Albania this relationship has steadily deteriorated. Parliament is moving further and further away from its constitutional mission as an institution of control and oversight, being reduced to a notary of government decisions.

Just a few days ago, the Albanian Parliament provided the clearest example of this institutional degradation, a development that is not in line with European standards for the functioning of democratic institutions.

By force of numbers, the parliamentary majority rejected the opposition’s request for a debate on the European Parliament’s Resolution on Albania, which raises serious concerns about the functioning of the rule of law and democratic institutions.

Today, the Albanian Parliament no longer leads the European integration process because it no longer performs the constitutional functions for which it was elected: it does not take legislative initiatives, it does not ensure government accountability, and it does not exercise effective control and oversight. But the problem goes even deeper. The parliamentary majority has not only stripped Parliament of these powers, but also denies the opposition the right to exercise them.

First, Parliament does not review the opposition’s initiatives. After the latest European Parliament Resolution on Albania, the opposition decided to turn part of the recommendations into concrete legislative initiatives. None of them has been included for review.

Second, Parliament does not exercise control over the government. The most direct tool of accountability is an interpellation with the Prime Minister.

During this parliamentary session, the opposition has requested 11 interpellations with the Prime Minister. None has taken place, because the Prime Minister refuses to account for acts bearing his signature. Zero out of 11 requested interpellations.

Without parliamentary accountability, there can be neither rule of law, nor democratic institutions functioning according to European standards, nor integration into the European Union.

But the weakening has not been limited only to parliamentary control. The same trend has also appeared in Parliament’s oversight function, especially in the European integration process.

The Committee on European Integration was merged with the Foreign Policy Committee and its leadership was returned to the majority.

In this way, the only institutional mechanism guaranteeing independent parliamentary oversight of the negotiation process and the involvement of the opposition was removed.

The same approach has also been followed toward other oversight instruments.

All five opposition requests for parliamentary investigative committees have been rejected.

Instead of helping accelerate the integration process, Parliament, through its actions, is becoming an obstacle. I want to remind you of Parliament’s decision not to lift the immunity of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, accused by SPAK of bid-rigging, corruption and money laundering. The political protection of corruption involving senior officials does not help integration, but makes it more difficult.

Dear colleagues,

The European integration process is not assessed only by the laws that are passed or by the chapters that are opened, discussed and closed.

It is also measured by the way democratic institutions function.

A Parliament that does not take initiatives, does not control the government and does not exercise oversight is not fulfilling the function for which it was elected.

We can give this institution many names: secretariat of the executive, protocol office, or notary of the government.

But we cannot call it a Parliament in the European sense of the word.

At the beginning of my speech, I stressed my belief that the way a Parliament functions determines the quality of democracy. Precisely for this reason, Albania needs not only more chapters to be opened. It needs a Parliament that fully exercises its constitutional functions and plays a role in the integration process. Only then will this process be not only faster, but also more credible.