TIRANA, Jan 31 /ATA/ – Former OSCE Secretary General, Thomas Greminger, said in a televised interview on Friday that Albania’s Special Anticorruption and Anticrime Prosecution Structure (SPAK) won’t be affected by an executive order by the United States President Donald Trump to suspend aid to several institutions in the country.
The international expert and diplomat told Top Channel TV that the three-month suspension of the US aid is not going to affect the judicial reform in Albania, saying that funding will be halted for certain sectors and not for specific countries.
“If we are to consider the way of thinking within Trump’s circle, I don’t see any serious threat to SPAK or the justice system reform. I think that Trump’s executive affects certain areas rather than a specific country. Anything promoting diversity, gender issues and controlled births are all sensitive issues for Trump’s Make America Great Again philosophy,” Greminger said.
The diplomacy expert also noted that the Western Balkan region is not a priority on the agenda of Trump administration.
“In my perception, the Western Balkans are not very high on the list of priorities of the new administration. This can also be seen as good news, as there will be no pressure on them. I do not expect the Western Balkans to be at the heart of Trump’s foreign and security policy in the short and medium term. I do not expect Trump administration to encourage Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue. We haven’t heard heard much from the new administration in this regard. It also remains to be seen who in the Trump team will deal with the Western Balkans. It will be essential who will be appointed as ambassador to Tirana, as this will affect the approach of American policy towards the region,” he added.
Greminger also said that he expected US administration to demand more defence and security investments from Europe.
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