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Following the expression by the government of Albania of its commitment
to proactively implement an anti-corruption strategy as part of the National
Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) and the adoption of an ambitious
and cross cutting strategy for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption
and for Transparent Governance 2008-2013, with the funding from the European
Commission under IPA 2008, the Council of Europe has launched since 1 September
2009 a new technical assistance Project against corruption in Albania (PACA).
The project’s duration will be of 30 months The total amount of funds of
the project is 2,130.000 Euro (93.90% EU funds and 6.10% COE funds).
PACA’s overall objective is to contribute to democracy and the rule of law
through the prevention and control of corruption. The project’s specific
objectives are the following:
1) To enhance the implementation of anti-corruption
policies and strategies (Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2013)
in line with GRECO and MONEYVAL recommendations and European Partnership
commitments;
2) To contribute to the prevention of corruption in the
education sector by improving transparency, accountability and social participation
in the education system.
PACA will deliver these objectives through the
provision of targeted expertise and training by international and national
experts, and through outreach to all relevant stakeholders and civil society
on the expertise acquired.
Activities in
2012: Conference
"Conclusion of the 3-year Albanian Government - Council of Europe – European Union Cooperation on
Combating Corruption"
(Tirana, Albania, 8 November 2012)
 The conference, which
was part of the Albanian Government’s programme of activities during its Chairmanship of the Council of Europe,
was held on 8 November 2012 in Tirana.
In the last three years PACA has been the leading large scale project assisting anti-corruption reforms in the country, and has had a significant impact on the fight against corruption – notably in recent constitutional changes to reform the system of immunities of high-level officials. Apart from promoting Albanian Government-CoE-EU cooperation, the conference aimed to further encourage reforms in other areas related to anti-corruption where certain deficiencies have been noticed and technical assistance provided.
The keynote speeches were delivered by Mr Sali Berisha, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Ms
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Mr Ettore Sequi, the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Albania.
 Agenda
English /
Albanian
Picture
Galery
Constitutional Amendments on Restricting the Immunities Regime Adopted
On 18 September 2012 the Albanian Parliament voted on the draft constitutional amendments aiming to restrict/abolish the immunity of MPs, judges and other high level officials. The draft submitted to vote was a joint Democratic Party (DP) -Socialist Party (SP) parliamentary groups’ proposal agreed/endorsed by the 21 July 2012 joint session of the Parliamentary Council on Legislation and the Committee on Legal Issues, Public Administration and the Human Rights after the hearing/consultation of experts and other stakeholders. The joint proposal
was a compromise of two drafts submitted by DP and SP parliamentary groups and it largely reflected the recommendations provided by PACA project in September 2011 for reform of the regime of immunities as well as the PACA expert's comments/position expressed at the 21 July session.
Immunities reform
During
July 2012, draft constitutional amendments aimed at restricting or abolishing
the immunities of certain categories of officials were submitted by the
Democratic Party (DP) and Socialist Party (SP) parliamentary groupings (on
6th and 20th July respectively). Both of the drafts
were largely in line with the recommendations provided by PACA in September
2011 for reform of the regime of immunities.
In response to a request
from Parliament, on 21 July 2012 a PACA expert attended a joint session
of the Parliamentary Council on Legislation and the Committee on Legal Issues,
Public Administration and the Human Rights, which was organized to consult
experts, civil society representatives and other stakeholders and secure
feedback on the drafts. At the meeting the PACA expert responded to extensive
questioning by MPs. Following the meeting, the Committee approved a revised
draft. However, in the Parliamentary session at which the proposed amendments
were to be debated and voted on, a vote did not take place after the opposition
(SP) elected not to support the proposal.
Comments and recommendations on the draft Teachers’ Code of Ethics
In June 2012 PACA submitted comments and recommendations on a new draft
Code of Ethics for Teaching Staff, elaborated by a working group of the
Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and Institute for Development of
Education (IDE) with the aim of implementing previous PACA recommendations.
The comments and recommendations generally compliment the new draft as a
much-improved version of the previous draft commented on by PACA in September
2010, and provided some detailed proposed changes to the draft.
Technical
Paper
Manual ‘Education against Corruption’
On 23 May 2012 PACA hosted an event to disseminate the final draft manual
on ‘Education against Corruption’, a curriculum manual for teachers at Albanian
basic and secondary schools. The representatives of the Ministry of Education
and Science and the Institute for Development of Education underlined the
support of the government for the manual and presented how it should be
used.
Manual
Albanian
Code of Conduct for Teachers
On 17 May 2012 PACA received recommendations from the General Teaching Council
of Scotland (GTCS) on a new draft Code of Conduct for Teachers elaborated
by the Institute for Development of Education (IDE). The recommendations,
together with a commentary on the extent to which the new draft reflects
the recommendations of PACA, were forwarded to the working group in charge
of drafting the Code. On 25-26 June PACA will organise meetings between
an expert from the GTCS and the working group to discuss the draft and PACA
recommendations and assist with finalisation of the draft.
Provision of the expert opinion on the amendments to the Albanian AML/CFT
Law
On 27 April 2012 PACA project delivered the expert opinion concerning the
recently drafted amendments to the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering
and the Financing of Terrorism. The opinion assessed the conformity of the
amending provisions with the relevant Recommendations of the Financial Action
Task Force as well as the amendments' compliance with the recommendations
made in the MONEYVAL 4th Round Mutual Evaluation Report. The opinion also
provided further proposal for changes to be made in the draft amendments.
Project extension
On 29 February 2012 PACA held its 7th Steering Committee meeting that officially
approved the extension of the project until 31 December 2012. Steering Committee
also approved draft workplan which set up basis for the activities design
during the extension period.
Agenda of SC meeting
List
of participants of SC meeting
Draft workplan (extension period)
English /
Albanian
Study Visit to Rome, Italy: "Cross border Confiscation of Crime Proceeds
On 5-8 February, 2012 PACA will hold a study visit of Albanian judges, prosecutors
and Ministry of Justice officials to Italy in the framework of assistance
intended to enhance cross border cooperation for the confiscation of crime
proceeds. The study visit follows the workshop of 20 December 2011, which
discussed the applicable Albanian legal framework for the international
confiscation of crime proceeds and the main problems encountered in its
implementation.
Agenda
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