TIRANA, October 1 /ATA/ – Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha met today in Strasbourg with Despina Chatzivassiliou, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. During the meeting, he raised the opposition’s concerns regarding the political and institutional situation in Albania, as well as the proposed package of amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code.
According to Berisha, the proposed amendments to the Code act as a shield for Rama by potentially limiting the use of evidence from electronic devices and other sources.
The DP leader emphasized that the amendments could consequently affect investigations into corruption and organized crime.
“With this package—in addition to eliminating prison sentences for offenses carrying a penalty of less than five years—Edi Rama seeks at all costs to legally invalidate evidence, specifically data retrieved from mobile phones and other locations,” he said.
In a video message released after the meeting, Berisha stated that he had received assurances from the Secretary General that the Council of Europe and its experts had neither approved, suggested, nor drafted the package of amendments.
“The Secretary General assured me that the Council of Europe and its experts have not approved this package and that it is not a package suggested, approved, or drafted by Council of Europe specialists,” Berisha stated.
Berisha said he had asked the European side to ensure the amendments are not approved in their current form and that the package be submitted to the Venice Commission for expert review.
“I insisted that this package must not be put to a vote under any circumstances, calling instead for it to be forwarded to the Venice Commission for expert review. Albania does not need to weaken its laws in the fight against corruption and crime; quite the opposite, it must reinforce them. Moreover, I stressed that this package essentially amounts to amnesty for almost all electoral crimes.,” he said.
Berisha confirmed that the dialogue with Council of Europe institutions will continue regarding recent political and institutional developments in Albania. /p.s./
