Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL) and Joseph O'Reilly (Ireland, EPP/CD), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Albania, started a fact-finding visit in the country, which will end on October 28.

They were received by the President, Bujar Nishani on Thursday.

President Nishani praised the role of the Council of Europe in protecting and promoting human rights and development of democracy as the basic pillars of its mission, and the contribution of this prestigious international institution to Albania’s progress in these areas.

Responding to the interest of the co-rapporteurs, the Head of State expressed his views on some of the immediate challenges of Albania, on which the progress of the country in the EU integration process depends. President Nishanti pointed out that the constitutional changes which were approved by consensus in the Albanian Parliament, including the deep reform of the judiciary, are very important milestones for the country.

Focusing on the upcoming parliamentary elections, President Nishani said that there is great concern that the elections will not be free and fair, because of fear of increased penetration of crime in the manipulation and change of the free will of voters. President Nishani underlined that this is an eminent danger to the Albanian democracy and it needs to be addressed urgently and firmly by all actors, including the international partners.

President Nishani also expressed concerns about the double-standards used in treating the old or new owners in Albania, referring to a law passed in the parliament, saying that it is an act which violates the human rights and creates space and mechanisms which promote corruption, further deepening the social and economic wounds linked with this issue in the country.

Further on, joining his voice with the concerns expressed by the former political prisoners of the communist regime through their associations, the Head of State talked about the lack of progress of Albania in fulfilling the promises it undertook in the framework of the two resolutions approved by the Council of Europe in 1996 and 2006, in regards to the crimes of communism in Albania, and the necessity to address them immediately with the right attention and determination.