Like the judicial system and political class even the big entrepreneurs should be subject to the vetting process because their ranks should also be cleaned from corrupt and thieves who have made their wealth through the abuse of power and office.

This was a proposal made by the veteran entrepreneur and President of the Association for the Protection of Traders and the Market in Albania, Nikollaq Neranxi in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News.

Mr. Neranxi believes that the reformation of the justice system would make Albanians' life better in every aspect, but, on the other hand, there should be a vetting even for the private enterprises in Albania.

"I think that the next step should be the scanning of the businesses in Albania. Here there are entrepreneurs who have previously been directors of customs and taxation and in a beautiful day they 'woke up' with an enterprise larger than mine whose activity has a 25 - year span of performance," said Neranxi. 

According to him, only after that the honest part of Albanian businessmen, those who will remain, are the best part of Albanian society, because they have managed to survive, to carry out their activities, to develop their ideas, to hire people in a very difficult climate and finally they have succeeded.

Asked if he thought that the honest entrepreneurs should be part of the politics, Mr. Neranxi said that it would be an honor for the Albanian politics, if these businessmen accepted to be part of it.

"In the meantime, as part of the business and as President of the Association for the Protection of Traders and the Market in Albania, I would like to thank the United States and the European Union, for the continuous insistence, the persistence and the wish that this country can be made. They are our saviors! I envy the patience they have! I extend heartfelt thanks to these people, who wish Albania's development without hypocrisy!" said the well-known businessman in the following interview:

- There are ongoing discussion and debate on the Justice Reform and Vetting in Albania over the recent times. Like a veteran entrepreneur in this country and President of the Association for the Protection of Traders and the Market in Albania, how do you see this development?

- Of course, I am following with great interest and above all with much expectation and optimism this great change which is expected to occur in Albania. The business people, those who have invested any money here, are the first people interested that works proceed well and this country to progress. The Vetting process is the same as to say the scanning process and as we know everything appears in the scanner.

There would be no need for debates and clashes if these men, whose property, the purity of the image and professional skills will be checked, were convinced that no problems would arise from the scanning. But we live in a small country and often we have seen cases when people who are part of the judiciary live in a luxury that we, the business people, cannot achieve. So I believe that the unjustified wealth will be the main problem, but it will be no less important the part of professional skills.

I would want very much that no tolerations are made in this regard,  because if all the work, including the judicial system, is made by professional and competent people, the opportunity to do a poor job will be very little.

- Since you have been part of politics (MP during 2005-2009 period), what impact do you think will the reform in judiciary have on the Albanian politics?

- The reformation of the justice system will make our life better in every aspect, including the political class. The culture of impunity has made politicians behave as if they are masters in this country, while they are elected to serve, not to rule. The news about corruption in the cupola of the state circulates like a rumor in this country, never seeing concrete results as he is discovered and punished. The change for the better will start when neither senior politicians nor officials think that they are untouchable in this country.

This can be accomplished only by a fair and uncaught justice. In addition, a ray of hope for a dignified political class has been given by the decriminalization law according to which no individuals with criminal records will be allowed to be part of the politics. Albanians will see in the lists of the deputies for the June parliamentary elections the full implementation of this law because there are still skeptics who think that decriminalization cannot be implemented properly.

Personally I believe more in the oversight that will make the international organizations over the judicial reform and decriminalization law. If they do not stay watchful upon our heads, there is likelihood that everything will be distorted. We can do the best laws possible, but when it comes to the implementation that leaves much to be desired.

- Do you think that after this cleansing of the judiciary and politics, the business will have more breathing?

- This would be only a good beginning, because, I think, that there should be a vetting even for the private enterprises in Albania. There are about 25 years that I am in business in this country, and the number of these years is equal to the time that we have free market economy and I know very well the problems of free enterprise. I think that the next step should be the scanning of the businesses in Albania. Here there are entrepreneurs who have previously been directors of customs and taxation and in a beautiful day they 'woke up' with an enterprise larger than mine whose activity has a 25 - year span of performance. 

Where did these former state officials, who served in those positions which have been constantly accused as institutions of corruption and theft, get the money? There are other entrepreneurs who have great unjustified wealth which do not correspond with their activity.

In the narrow circles of entrepreneurs and politics, it is known that these individuals serve as laundering machines of corrupt money of politicians and senior officials who cannot declare their assets, because they cannot justify it.

These laundering - entrepreneurs should be investigated in details. Both of these categories mentioned above, having the support of the people cloaked with power, make also daily abuses in their trading activities. They make tax evasion because no one dares to control them, benefit public funds, tenders etc. These corrupt individuals have broken the rules of the market economy and have put in great difficulty the honest business.

When talking about the judicial system, the political class and the need that their ranks should be cleansed from the corrupt and thieves we are talking about big money that they have benefited from the abuse of power and office. But they have learned during all these years that the money needs to be invested and the investment of this criminal money has also been made in Albania, and therefore the Albanian business needs greatly the vetting in order to complete the process of cleaning the society from these individuals who keep hostage Albania's development.

- Do you think that honest entrepreneurs should be part of the politics?

- After the implementation of the scanning of dirty money laundering businessmen and thieves of public money and they get the deserved punishment, I assure you that the honest part of Albanian businessmen, those who will remain, are the best part of our society, because they have managed to survive, to carry out their activities, to develop their ideas, to hire people in a very difficult climate and finally they have succeeded.

Of course, I have to say that there many who have gone bankrupt. They are the real heroes in this country, the idealists and people who have strongly believed that this country will become one day, and therefore they have resisted.

It would be an honor for the Albanian politics, if these businessmen accepted to be part of it. I often hear derogatory definitions like "There are many criminals and businessmen in politics!!!". So they put them at the same level. In fact they are not to be blamed why they are prejudiced because as I explained above, the business and crime have often been the same. Today there are many people who think that he who has money is not so good man, because  who knows what dirty things he has done!

I have also been faced with these prejudices. Therefore, the process of verifying the real assets of the entrepreneurs would restore the deserved and missing dignity and reputation to the honest businessmen. I am confident that this will happen.

In the meantime, as part of the business and as President of the Association for the Protection of Traders and the Market in Albania, I would like to thank the United States and the European Union, for the continuous insistence, the persistence and the wish that this country can be made. They are our saviors! I envy the patience they have! I extend heartfelt thanks to these people, who wish Albania's development without hypocrisy!