Reeker for the Albanian opposition: Protests Not Violent

Philip Reeker has commented on the situation in Albania, saying that many efforts have been made on the path to reform, but that corruption must be eradicated, key institutions of rule of law restructured and the judiciary reformed.

No one stands above the law. In order to open official talks on membership in the European Union, Albania must fight organised crime and show that no one stands above the” law, it was the comment of the senior American State Department official.

Ambassador Reeker said all parties should show they share similar goals.

“All political parties claim to share the same goal: for Albania to join the European Union. But the opposition took to the streets and handed over its mandates; urgent work must be done within the democratic process. Every EU member state and those currently aspiring to the EU will tell you this should be an effort of the entire government, in fact of the whole society. We call on all political leaders to demonstrate political will and to engage constructively within Albania's democratic institutions to move reforms forward. And if parties exercise their democratic right to protest, this should be done peacefully”, Reeker said.

Ambassador Philip Reeker, who is currently adviser to the commander of the American Forces on the old continent, who is soon to take over as Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, attended a conference in Skopje organised by the German Marshall Fund in the US. /TCh/