Minister of Justice Toni Gogu attended the session titled “The Judicial Dimension of the Fight Against Corruption” during the EU–Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs, held in Budva, Montenegro, on November 5–6.
The forum is organized annually and was chaired this year by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the participation of the European Commission.
Minister Gogu stated that earlier this week, the European Commission acknowledged Albania’s good progress in the fight against corruption.
According to the Commission, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) continues to demonstrate independence and deliver results in tackling high-level corruption.
However, Gogu emphasized that more work remains to be done. Preventive measures must become more effective, and financial investigations should begin earlier. Seized criminal assets should ultimately be confiscated whenever permitted by law and supported by evidence.
Gogu also stressed that these findings place responsibilities on the executive branch. Its duty is to improve the conditions in which independent institutions operate by strengthening the legal framework, providing adequate resources, and improving the administration’s ability to report suspected corruption.
He added that prosecutorial decisions must be made independently.
“Governments can propose laws, provide resources, and strengthen institutions. What they must never do is exert pressure.
Independence is the condition that makes accountability credible.
Behind every corrupt decision, someone pays the price. A patient waits longer, a business loses the opportunity to compete on equal terms, and a citizen realizes that the rules only apply to others.
The 2024–2030 Anti-Corruption Strategy is addressing risks in public procurement, healthcare, and taxation.
Reforms concerning whistleblowers, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and political financing have also moved forward,” Gogu stated.
The minister further added that Albania welcomes Directive (EU) 2026/1021. As an EU candidate country, Albania will align its criminal legislation and broader anti-corruption framework with the directive.
Regarding the region, Gogu proposed three priorities.
The first is to measure the practical implementation of anti-corruption measures using comparable indicators, such as the time required for mutual legal assistance and the speed of the transition from asset freezing to confiscation. An initial joint assessment could be presented next year.
The second priority is to deepen operational cooperation, reducing delays while fully respecting procedural safeguards.
The third is to invest in professionals, including judges, prosecutors, financial investigators, and asset administrators.
According to Gogu, all three priorities depend on the independence of those responsible for investigating and adjudicating cases.
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