The Achievements and Challenges of Judicial Reform in Albania – Bledar Feta

Bledar Feta was a guest on Kallis Zaralis’s show “SYNORA” (ERT3), where he discussed the findings of the research conducted by the Southeast Europe Program’s team at ELIAMEP regarding ongoing judicial reform in Albania. This research study was undertaken as part of the ALGREE project – Albania-Greece: Understanding. Connecting. Partnering  The full report will be available on the official ELIAMEP website in the coming days.

In his interview on the Greek public television, Bledar Feta emphasized the progress made since 2016 in Albania, when the specific reform that led to the creation of SPAK, the special judicial body for fighting organized crime and corruption, began. “Before 2016, no one imagined that high-ranking officials would pass through the door of justice,” Feta remarked, highlighting SPAK’s achievements while also noting the attempts to discredit it by both government and opposition members who are currently under investigation by the judiciary. Feta pointed out that SPAK is the only institution that enjoys the trust of Albanians, which stems from the international community’s involvement in its formation and operation, rather than the restoration of citizens’ trust in the judicial system, which still faces significant challenges.

Regarding the perennial problem of corruption in Albania and the commitments of the Albanian prime minister to address it by 2030, Feta noted that solving these deep-rooted issues requires continuous effort and political dialogue, which is currently lacking in Albania. He added that the start of negotiations with the EU has created significant momentum, which the Albanian leadership should leverage to promote all necessary reforms, making Albania a frontrunner and setting an example for others.

Finally, regarding the weakened role of the EU in exerting pressure to promote reforms in candidate countries, Feta referred to the ongoing debate about the green light to start accession negotiations with Albania. He highlighted the emphasis placed on geopolitics, which has reinforced this development. Feta noted that Brussels remains the primary lever of pressure to advance reforms in the region and should strengthen this capacity, especially in the current geopolitical reality where other powers are attempting to increase their influence in the Western Balkans, potentially at the expense of Brussels.

Watch the interview in Greek: