The International Monitoring Operation (IMO) delivered on Friday new recommendations on the process for the formation of the re-evaluation (vetting) institutions. This supersedes the recommendations issued by the IMO on 3 March 2017.

Following Decision 18/2017, adopted by the Albanian Assembly on 16 March, the IMO re-deployed its team of international observers, composed of senior members from the judiciaries of EU Member States and from the United States.

The IMO international observers have confirmed that the staff of the Ombudsperson Office performed its tasks consistently with the previous exercise, with accuracy and strong commitment. The IMO international observers have now completed their independent assessment of the completed dossiers. Once more, all monitoring activities by the IMO international observers were carried out thoroughly, building on very close cooperation with relevant institutions and authorities in Albania, who maintained their commitment to assist and support their work.

Today the Chair of the IMO, Ms Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, has submitted the revised IMO recommendation to the Ombudsperson of Albania, in a sealed envelope for transmission to the Assembly.

Based on the checks on the qualification criteria performed by the assessment committee at the Ombudsperson Office, two consolidated lists were published:

84 applicants were placed in the list of candidates who meet the formal criteria; out of these, 17 are affected by a negative recommendation of the IMO;109 applicants were placed in the list of candidates who do not meet the formal criteria; out of these, 70 are affected by a negative recommendation, and 39 are not, but the international experts concur with the assessment committee at the Ombudsperson Office that these candidates do not meet the formal criteria.

As a result, 67 applicants remain eligible for the final voting list to be considered by the Assembly.

It is now the responsibility of the Assembly of Albania to nominate the members of the vetting institutions; so that the implementation of the vetting process can start without further delays. The IMO looks forward to the start of the implementation of the vetting process, to respond to the expectations of the citizens of Albania for a fully independent, impartial, accountable and professional judicial system.