Apostolova: Region countries, including Kosovo, with clear elements of captured state

The EU Special Representative in Kosovo Natalia Apostolova has reminded the Western Balkan countries that the enlargement strategy acknowledges that countries in the region show clear elements of the state seized, including links to organised crime and corruption at all levels of government and administration, as well as a powerful expansion of private and public interests.

Apostolova made these comments at the opening of the two-day regional anti-corruption conference works organised by the Anti-Corruption Agency, attended by leaders of relevant institutions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey.

The EU Special Representative in Kosovo Natalia Apostolova said corruption undermines progress, undermines democratic institutions, economic growth and political decision-making processes. She also cited the Western Balkan enlargement strategy 2018 that confirms the region's European future and views these countries as integral parts of the EU family in the future.

“Allow me here to remember the enlargement strategy of the Western Balkans 2018 that confirms the region's European future and views these countries as integral parts of the EU family in the future. At the same time, the strategy acknowledges that countries in the region and I am quoting “show clear elements of the seized state, including links to organised crime and corruption at all levels of government and administration, as well as a powerful expansion of private and public interests. So, fighting corruption remains a key priority for the EU and the entire region“, Apostolova has said.

Anti-Corruption Agency Director Shaip Havolli, at the opening of this conference, said the purpose of this conference is to bring together leaders of Southeast Europe's anti-corruption institutions, together with institutions responsible for establishing anti-corruption policies.

“During this two-day conference we will discuss and elaborize all these topics with the aim of implementing progress and once strengthening regional co-operation in implementing international anti-corruption policies, exchange of experiences, exchange of information, and above all with particular emphasis on sharing information related to the assets of senior officials and other assets“, Have said.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said the legislation in Kosovo is consistently met, meanwhile, the budget for law institutions has been added, adding judges and prosecutors. He has said they know the fight against organised crime and corruption is not easy and short, but are determined to move on.

I expect to identify regional challenges against corruption, co-operation opportunities, but also steps to overcome the identified challenges, so I welcome your recommendations coming out of this conference, your recommendations, and the fact that I have warned of the revision of the National Anti-corruption Council, which is a co-ordination body under the president's leadership. With this goal we aim at the dynamism and advancement of his work... ...the example of the KLA veterans, we must all encourage the justice system that this issue goes to the end, with full transparency and responsibility, the truth is that it is clear, there has been no more than 12, 15 thousand people with arms and uniforms, while others are just fraud, so this huge fraud with the loss of the Kosovo Republic's budget should be carried out through justice and not by any political threats that come here, he has invited international representatives who contribute to their Kosovo membership in the third week of November.

Ambassador of the United Kingdom Ruairí O'Connell, fighting corruption is not just a regional problem, but it has affected all the countries of the world. According to him, corruption is not only reducing prosperity and prosperity, but at the same time has also turned into sponsors of global terrorism networks, which has become a global problem.

The true “that rulers today are exposed to corruption, but only those with strong integrity, those who are dedicated to their country's future may be vulnerable to corruption, those ruling ones should be examples to young people and should be called heroes today... I have heard the president and Government call for support of Kosovo's membership in INTERPOL. We as Britain strongly supported it because Kosovo's membership in INTERPOL would be in the interest of all“, O'Connell said.

Meanwhile, Republika Italy's Ambassador Piero Cristoforo Sardi said the fight against corruption falls in the context of a broader fight against organised crime and is part of the overall effort to reinforce what is needed to enforce the rule of law.

It is no wonder that, as Ambassador Apostolova earlier stressed, the fight against corruption is an integral part of the key community and is one of the main characteristics on which performance and results, definition and ability to select candidates and potential candidate countries like Kosovo maten and will continue to measure“, he has said.

Parliamentary Commission for Legislation chairman Albulen Haxhiu on behalf of the commission called on the Agency to continue in the direction of prevention and fighting corruption.

The only one that hasn't been addressed yet involves working places that hold an official, that is, today in Kosovo there are many officials carrying 2,3,4,5, even six jobs, so I encourage you to discuss this “today, Haxhi said.

While Switzerland's ambassador, Jean-Hubert Lebet, said political support is needed to fight corruption.

The conference aims to contribute to strengthening regional co-operation in Southeast Europe through exchange of good experiences and practices in preventing and fighting corruption.

The regional anti-corruption conference is the first this format organised in Kosovo and aims to become traditional through the adoption of a joint declaration on completion of the works.