President Ilir Meta has reacted to the recently published study by Southeast European Leadership for Development and Integrity (SELDI) “On the dangers of state capture and policy reforms in the Western Balkans 2020”.
Through a message on ‘Facebook’ released on Monday, the head of state stressed that the phenomenon of “legislative corruption” has become a new means of covering the clientelistic benefits of funds and public property, where for every benefit donated, while adding that the one-party Parliament has approved a custom law to legalize that.
“The dangerous phenomenon of state capture is a conspiracy against democracy and the control of citizens over institutions,” said Meta, adding that SELDI’s study shows that Albania ranks first in the region in terms of increasing pressure of state capture by business.
The report states that “business and public institutions in Albania have a high predisposition in relation to other Balkan countries to use public functions from services to laws in favor of the interests of certain groups.” It is also noted that “the use of public entities not only to profit, but also as a tool or weapon against competitors is the greatest use of state capture.”
According to Meta, the study confirms the continuous public attitudes with deeply negative conclusions, which I have also expressed with decrees in defense of sovereignty, the Constitution, the principle of separation of powers and free competition.
“On the occasion of the National Day of Justice, it is time for all of us to commit ourselves to end the capture of the state and impunity,” concluded Meta. /argumentum.al
