TIRANA, Sept 25 /ATA/- By Maela Marini/ Prime Minister Edi Rama declared in New York that Albania is no longer a country where corruption can be practised without consequence. Addressing a gala hosted by the Council for Albanian‑American Relations, he said that while Albanians perceive corruption as a problem, European partners regard the reforms as a success.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaking in New York, asked whether a country can have more corruption if it is fought daily. He argued the answer is no, recalling that there was a time in Albania when corruption was pervasive and the fight against it nowhere to be seen.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania today looks entirely different, as its democratic system has begun to build its own immunity. He stressed that governance is no longer simply about a leader and a government, but about a system of independent branches of government that, despite their flaws and problems, are functioning and need to grow and mature further.
Prime Minister underlined that Albania is no longer a place where corruption can be practised without consequence, calling this a major success. He also cited as another achievement the end of mass hunting by thousands of European hunters who, until a decade ago, crossed Albania’s borders unchecked, slaughtering animals and birds in scenes that left piles of carcasses and brought shame to the country in the pages of National Geographic.
Rama said Albania today demonstrates a wholly different reality, with citizens now protesting in defence of biodiversity. He noted that this transformation has come only ten years after hunting was banned, protected areas expanded, forest exploitation prohibited, bird and animal populations tripled, and reforested land increased more than ever before.
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