TIRANA, May 20 /ATA/-By Maela Marini/ The Parliament Speaker, Elisa Spiropali, assured on Tuesday that “Parliament will continue to support the State Supreme Audit as a partner in efforts to enhance financial performance and uphold the rule of law.”
At the event marking the 100th anniversary of the State Supreme Audit, Parliament Speaker Elisa Spiropali spoke about the century-long journey of this key institution of the Albanian state, emphasizing that “its independence and depoliticization are enshrined in the Constitution and the organic law.”
According to her, Albania’s accession to the European Union also marks the beginning of a new journey, in which all institutions of the Republic will function as institutions of an EU member state.
Spiropali affirmed that Parliament will remain committed to supporting all constitutional and legally established institutions, as well as safeguarding their independence, so they can effectively carry out their mission as guardians of the public and civic interest.
“The independence of institutions is crucial for the effective functioning of the branches of government in a democratic system, just as essential as their responsibility, transparency, and accountability. Therefore, the guiding principles of our cooperation can be encapsulated in three words: independence, support, partnership,” she stated.
In this regard, Spiropali praised the efforts to strengthen the independence and institutional professionalism of the State Supreme Audit (KLSH), as a constitutional institution guided by the principles of the rule of law, a recognition also reflected in the latest monitoring reports of Albania by the OECD and the EU.
“However, both Parliament and, I believe, the State Supreme Audit agree that strengthening parliamentary oversight is essential to make your work more effective, boost transparency, and amplify the impact of audits in improving public financial management.”
“Our enhanced and more transparent cooperation, along with increased communication, will strengthen the preventive aspect of the Audit’s scope and improve its alignment with punitive actions. The synergy between prevention and punishment is not only a request from Parliament or a matter of our time. It has been essential since the early days of this institution, when the Albanian state’s resources to sustain it were limited, experience was scarce, and institutional capacity and human resources were modest. This remains true in the counterpart institutions of European Union countries and other democratic nations,” stated the Speaker of Parliament.
Spiropali emphasized that “Parliament is committed to the fight against corruption, and for this, it has requested and will continue to seek your contribution.”
According to her, the fight against corruption is not aimed at targeting public employees as an end in itself, but at supporting them to better manage state resources, as well as closing legal and institutional avenues for abuse.
“Our steadfast, resolute, and increasingly vigorous fight against corruption, the abuse of power, and the mismanagement of public finances must not stop us from distinguishing between those who misuse their positions, engage in abuses, and commit crimes in managing finances, public programs, and projects, and the honest, capable, and dignified public servants who have contributed—and continue to contribute—to the country’s development. Albania is now at the doorstep of the European Union, partly thanks to their contributions,” said Spiropali.
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