What does the FH report on the corruption symbol Ilir Meta, Rama and others say?

A step forward and one behind” is the formula by which the Freedom House report drafted by former analyst Blendi Kaysiu describes political developments that occurred last year in Albania, writes the pencil.al.

Saving to concrete examples of money steps, Freedom House mentions by names what he calls “steps after”, initiated by Ilir Meta's election president, wiretaps for Saimir Tahiri and Arta Mark's election as general prosecutor with 69 votes in parliament.

Albania is listed in the category of countries with democracy in transition or hybrid regimes.

In the chapter for Albania of the Freedom House annual report:

The progress noted in the fight against cannabis was marred by the discovery that former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri was linked to an Albanian-Italian drug trafficking network.

Advancing in the fight against corruption in administration was overshadowed by Ilir Meta's election to president, who, in the perception of many citizens, is a symbol of corruption, as well as the choice with a simple majority in Albania's parliament of the Acting Prosecutor on December 18th, which seriously undermined the institution's credibility and independence of”

Reports the Presidency after Freedom House report: Meta was chosen with full constitutional process

The report continues remembering Edi Rama's attacks on Ilir Meta in 2011.

“Rama described Ilir Meta as symbol of everything that is rotten in Albanian politics, a judgment that shares even a large part of the Albanian electorate”

The report also points to the autocratic shades that had the decision to choose Arta Mark at the head of the Attorney General, but also the power of the opposition and Ilir Meta to prevent Edi Rama,

The opposition <x0PDDP appears in a process of dissolution after the worst result in 25 years, while the new president lacks credibility to prevent abuse by executive” is said in the report.

Interesting in the report is the forecast for 2018, which says about the danger of the government adding doses of authoritarianism because of the outcome it received in the June 25th elections.

For 2018, promises of better governance have been given in Albania, but at the same time there is the danger of transition to authoritarianism. With a solid majority in parliament, the ruling Socialist Party and its prime minister have the chance to advance reforms to reduce corruption in the judiciary and bribe in public administration. On the other hand, full control over the party and a solid majority in parliament, combined with a strict control in the government, could lead to authoritarian tendencies that could lead other state institutions under the control of Prime Minister”.

The report speaks of blocking reform in justice, cannabis, or media freedom.

“In 2017, media owners continued to use their media to blackmail the government or force it to make economic favours”, the report said.

“So on March 30th, parliament adopted a law providing 5m euros for media organs in order to facilitate the transition from analog to digital transmissions. The two main beneficiaries of this fund were the Hoxha and Frangaj families, who own two leading television stations in Albania, Top Channel and Klan”, the report says.

The author of the report that also expresses Freedom House's stance on the indicators of democracy in Albania is Blendi Kaysu. Known for his public stances until several years ago as political analyst, Kaysu studied political science and has a PhD at the Government Department at the University of Essex, England.

At the end of the report are all the scriptures on which the material is based, mainly the writings of portals, newspapers, or analysis on which the summary of political developments was made, and not only, reflected in the Freedom House report.

Below the link where complete English report can be read

https://freedomhouse.org/report/nets-transit/2018/albania