Summary
The Monitoring Committee welcomes the marked progress made
by the Albanian authorities in honouring its obligations and commitments
to the Council of Europe, despite the delays in many reforms as
a result of the deep political crisis that ensued in the country
following the 2009 parliamentary elections.
However, despite the progress achieved, many serious concerns
remain in Albania, in particular with regard to the impartiality
of democratic institutions and the civil service, the independence
of the judiciary and the fight against the endemic corruption.
Consistent concrete action by all stakeholders, the authorities
and the opposition, is needed to ensure that all the membership
obligations and accession commitments are fully honoured. In this
respect, the committee emphasises that it is crucial that the many
reforms and legislative packages that have been adopted also be actually
implemented in order to effectively address the concerns noted by, inter alia, the Assembly.
Against this background, the committee recommends that the
Assembly continue to monitor the honouring of obligations and commitments
by Albania.