EU ambassador to Albania under police protection
8.3.2017
Question for written answer E-001567-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Eleftherios Synadinos (NI)
The EU Ambassador to Albania, together with her family, has been under 24-hour armed police protection following threats linked to her monitoring of a reform of Albania's judiciary designed to weed out corruption in its legal system[1].
At the same time, Sali Berisha, the former Prime Minister of Albania, recently objected to what he described as the ambassador’s unconditional support for the Government and the existence of their hidden connections with an investor compensation fund.
The ambassador’s close and partisan relationship with Prime Minister Edi Rama was reflected in her failure to address certain issues in reply to a written question from the Commissioner responsible for enlargement and neighbourhood issues.
Indeed, her relations with the Prime Minister are to their mutual benefit, her husband being regularly awarded public contracts in Albania, which, it can be reasonably argued, raises a number of obvious questions and has undeniable implications. Furthermore, the problem of corruption and questions regarding transparency and reward on the basis of merit are issues that arise regularly in EU reports on Albania.
Finally, a financial scandal is now brewing regarding the vastly inflated cost of the ambassador’s official residency and the procedures followed for the acquisition thereof.
Given that there are clear indications of unjustifiable conduct by the ambassador serving her own personal interests, will the Commission relieve Ms Vlahutin of her duties pending clarification of these issues?
- [1] http://www.tribune.gr/world/news/article/334550/ipo-24ori-astinomiki-prostasia-presvis-tis-ee-stin-alvania-romana-vlachoutin.html