During his speech at the National Assembly of the Socialist Party, Rama drew attention to the case of investigation of Ardian Dvorani, a judge who, as the prime minister put it, has been praised by the US State Department as one of the champions in the global fight against corruption.

“But, SPAK has acted quickly to block Ardian Dvorani, the man considered by the US State Department as one of the champions in the global fight against corruption, not to allow him to enter in the process of being promoted as a judge. SPAK seemed to be coordinated in its activity with that gentleman who in a few days or weeks will finally leave the office of the President of the Republic. But, the court blew the case under investigation like a soap bubble. On the other hand, if SPAK was acting, as they say, like a Swiss watch, then how many judges and prosecutors fired from the vetting for unjustified wealth would be in prison today”, said Rama.

Rama emphasized that it has been a long time since the vetting has thrown them out of the judiciary.

“However, they are not in any difficulty at all. While the European Union has demanded from Albania in writing to continue the process and the moment that Albania will sit at the negotiating table, the first thing they will say will be: tell us a little about how corrupt judges and prosecutors have been investigated and brought to justice. Zero “, said the prime minister.

According to the prime minister, the opposite is true.

“The anti-corruption champion, as declared by the US Secretary of State has been investigated by SPAK, for a denunciation of the one that not me but the whole of Albania is looking forward to see in front of SPAK, Ilir Meta”, said Rama./p.s./

“All Albanians are eagerly waiting to know what holds hostage the Dvorani of government to the Dvorani of justice system? All Albanians know that Dvorani prevented by any means, intentionally and on behalf of Edi Rama alone, the establishment of the Constitutional Court, falsifying, manipulating and violating the Constitution and the laws of justice, just to ensure impunity of PM Rama. Dvorani was officially proven to have hidden his wealth. But the party vetting, scandalously and illegally closed eyes to this concealment,” President’s spokesperson said.

According to Blushi, “violations of the Constitution and the law by Dvorani were also confirmed by the Venice Commission.”

“All Albanians wish to know what forces Rama, the champion of corruption who turned Albania into a narcotics state and the world’s second for corruption to become Dvorani’s advocate? It is clear that the protection publicly granted to Dvorani by the party is a public call for the judiciary not to violate the party’s line in the administration of the directed justice, otherwise they will face consequences. The time of the opposition castrated by the government corruption is rapidly running out. Ending the state capture starts with ending the opposition capture,” he concluded in a statement.

Addressing a meeting of the Socialist Party’s (PS) National Assembly earlier today, Prime Minister Edi Rama called on the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to step up the pace of investigations into the outgoing President of the Republic Ilir Meta, and the ex-Prime Minister Sali Berisha, citing his designation for corruption by the US Department of State.

/m.m/u.sh/

The Court ruled today to drop the case against the former head of the Judicial Appointments Council Ardian Dvorani, as reported by Ilir Meta.

In a statement to the media, Dvorani said that there is no clash of him with any institution and that he is just a judge.

Regarding the case dropped, Dvorani stated that, “It is Meta’s right like any other individual to have his judgment and interpretation on certain facts. I am no one to judge and prejudice him or anyone. There are the institutions that ultimately decide. The time of popular trials in Albania belongs to a past regime. Trials are not conducted in the media,” said Dvorani.

Meta filed his lawsuit to the SPAK on February 18, 2020, accusing Dvorani of violating the law and the Constitution.

Ardian Dvorani resigned as chairman of the Judicial Appointments Council after his term had ended, but he continued to stay in office, claiming that no replacement had been found.

Whereas, the legal representative of the President, Bledar Dervishaj said that the ruling given today is unfair.

“We will appeal the ruling”, said Dervishaj. /a.a/p.s./

PM Rama focused on further on the fight against corruption.

“There was a lot of enthusiasm for justice reform that brought a lot of popular support focused on the vetting. I would like to make it clear for those who expected punishments that vetting is cleansing, vetting is not a court that sentences corrupt judges or prosecutors. Vetting cleans the system from a big sludge, but it is not that all the corrupt were arrested here. Because it does not work like that, it needs its time”, he stressed.

However, the head of government added, “If we look today, there are some positive signs given. A judge was arrested with a group around her who had in fact made horrible decisions. Until yesterday, this could not happen. It happens today. And it’s a very clear message to everyone. A chief of a hospital ward was arrested, a doctor who had actually did terrible things. Until yesterday, this did not happen.”

“And the last one that has created a great turmoil in other neighborhoods of politics, is the decision of the Secretary of State to award with the special honor of the USA an Albanian judge. The judge is distinguished and it is also known the reason why he has become famous. It is known even who he clashed with and this is very significant “, said Rama.

“If we say today, do we have the justice we need? We do not have the justice we need, but what is the question we should ask ourselves and what is the choice we have. Have we laid the foundations? Yes, certainly we have, “Rama stressed.

“In all directions, corruption is being fought by reforming and changing the systems within the big system of the state, but still these systems are not at the level that we can say that corruption has been eliminated everywhere. So, the choice is very clear, should we continue to strengthen these systems, or should we go back?” Rama said./p.s./

The U.S. Embassy in Tirana posted today the photo of Judge Ardian Dvorani receiving the certificate of evaluation.

“Today, Judge Ardian Dvorani received his Anticorruption Champion award certificate, announced yesterday by Secretary Blinken. Through this inaugural Award, the State Department recognized the courageous work of 12 anticorruption advocates from around the world whose commitment to defending transparency, combating corruption, and ensuring accountability protected their fellow citizens and exposed wrongdoing. Judge Ardian Dvorani from Albania was one of these champions. The Department of State awarded Dvorani for his work in developing mechanisms to reduce political and criminal influence in the justice system. Congratulations to Ardian Dvorani on being selected as an Anticorruption Champion!”- is read in the announcement of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana.

The State Department praised Ardian Dvorani, judge and member of the Justice Appointments Council, as a key figure in reforming Albania’s judicial system. Judge Dvorani developed mechanisms to reduce political and criminal influence in the justice system, steps that contributed to the EU decision in March to open negotiations for Albania’s membership.

Judge Dvorani was also an important member of the group of experts who developed the vision and legal provisions for justice reform in Albania, helping to fight corruption and protect Albania’s fledgling judicial institutions following major constitutional changes in the justice sector in Albania in 2016. His professionalism led to the constitutional protection of Albania’s new anti – corruption body, the Special Structure against Organized Crime and Corruption./r.e/p.s./

In his reaction the Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama said that, “Ardian Dvorani was attacked bluntly precisely because he did not give in to the pressure of Evil and this radiant assessment melts all the mud of political and media immorality, which was thrown sparingly at him, proving once again that the right delays but does not forget.”

The spokesman of the President of the Republic, Tedi Blushi stated that, “the Rama Reform will come to an end on April 25 with 3 million slaps and kicks of Albanians, against him, oligarchs and corrupt diplomats to the core. Albania is the first and invincible.”

Also the Minister of Justice, Etilda Gjonaj expressed today her best wishes to judge Ardian Dvorani for being selected among the 12 champions against corruption in the world by the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.

While, the chairman of the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party, Taulant Balla expressed gratitude to the US and the EU for the continued support they have provided for the implementation of the Justice Reform.

“The desperate attacks of Ilir Meta, behind which stand Sali Berisha, Lulzim Basha & co, against the Reform and against the new institutions of Justice can not affect this historic reform at all,” Balla said. //a.i/

“Ardian Dvorani was attacked bluntly precisely because he did not give in to the pressure of Evil and this radiant assessment melts all the mud of political and media immorality, which was thrown sparingly at him, proving once again that the right delays but does not forget, the Prime Minister Rama said.

Former head of the Judicial Appointments Council (JAC), judge Dvorani was ranked by the US Department of State among 12 winners who received the International Anti-corruption Champions Award //a.i/