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Top Expert Slams Albania’s Lustration Law
Tirana, Jan. 12, 2008. (AE) – An American expert that has worked as legal adviser for Government of Albania since 1992, said on Sunday in an open letter that “lustration law, that has been approved by the parliament, is wrong”.
Roger Sherrard, received a medal for “Distinguished Civil Merits” from former Albanian President Alfred Moisiu, for his work in building democratic legislation in the former Communist Albania.
“The new law will create a body of only five men that will have power to oust from office the President of the Republic, Ministers, MP’s and high state officials”, Mr. Sherrard said.
With such power, the five men body will have executive powers that currently are in the hands of parliament, the President of the Republic or the Constitutional Court.
The lustration law was approved by parliament on Dec. 22, by a simple majority of 77 votes. It was strongly criticized before and after approval by the US State Department, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Opposition parties accused the government that by approving such law, intends to exert pressure on prosecutors and judges who are dealing with government corruption cases.
Currently, government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha is pressuring President Bamir Topi,to decree the law. Mr. Topi is also under pressure from foreign observers to turn it back in parliament. The decision is expected to be taken in the next few days. However, the president cannot completely halt the bill. If he rejecs it, parliament can vote it a second time after which it would beautomatically approved.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha said on Thursday that he will vote again the law, if President Topi reject it. Mr. Topi was a deputy in Mr. Berisha’s Democratic party before July 2007, when he was elected President of Albania.
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