"LOVE IS IN THE AIR:" PM BERISHA PROMISES

C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000117

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

BELGRADE ALSO FOR PODGORICA

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO AL
SUBJECT: "LOVE IS IN THE AIR:" PM BERISHA PROMISES
COMPLETION OF JUDICIAL AND ELECTORAL REFORM BEFORE BUCHAREST

Classified By: Ambassador John L. Withers II, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) Prime Minister Berisha provided Ambassador with a
very positive account of prospects for electoral and judicial
reform, including the assertion that he believed opposition
leader Edi Rama was dealing with him fairly and without
subterfuge. In a separate meeting the same day, Rama
provided fewer specifics but was similarly positive about
cooperation. At the moment, prospects for significant action
on Albania's two crucial reforms appear to be good, and
relations between majority and opposition have never been
better. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) In a wide-ranging February 12 meeting, Ambassador
told PM Berisha that the U.S. had seen positive signs about
reform, but remained concerned that some Allies would welcome
any excuse to delay an invitation to Albania, particularly in
the event of a Greek veto of Macedonia's invitation. Failure
to deliver electoral and judicial reform could provide just
such an excuse.

--------------
JUDICIAL REFORM
--------------

3. (C) Berisha immediately agreed, saying "These reforms
are very serious for Albania and the reforms will be
completed." He said the first judicial reform law would be
concluded the same day. (News reports and our contacts
confirmed that on February 13, Parliament's Laws Committee
concluded its review of the 45-article bill on the
Organization and Functioning of the Judicial System, the
fundamental legislation dealing with organization of the
courts.) Berisha predicted this piece of legislation would
be voted by the full Parliament the week of February 18.
Legislation was also needed on reorganization of the
prosecutors' offices, but that, the PM said, would await
Prosecutor General Ina Rama's return from her ongoing IVLP in
the U.S. Berisha expected PG Rama to bring concrete ideas
about the legislation back from her experience in the U.S.
Nonetheless, he predicted this legislation would also pass
quickly. (Note: In fact, additional legislation beyond
these two bills will be needed for a complete and thorough
reform of the judiciary, as well as full enforcement of
legislation already on the books. However, passage of these
two bills would certainly count as significant and concrete
progress.)

--------------
ELECTORAL REFORM
--------------

4. (C) On electoral reform, Berisha told the Ambassador
that Socialist Party (SP) leader "Edi Rama and I have agreed
on almost everything." He confided they had been engaged in
direct talks. The PM said both SP and his own Democratic
Party (DP) would have difficulties with their smaller
coalition partners, but "we will keep on. We will keep
communicating and we will agree." Berisha promised electoral
reform would pass "soon," before the Bucharest Summit. He
added that work on voters' lists and ID cards was proceeding
apace. (Note: At a February 14 meeting, ODIHR
representatives on a periodic review of electoral reform
progress also commented on the noticeable change in
atmosphere. They found parties engaged in substantive
discussions on the type of electoral system to put forward,
although the ODIHR representatives worried small parties
could block progress if SP and DP were not reassured that
perfect consensus was not a demand from the international
community.)

--------------
AMAZING ATMOSPHERICS
--------------

5. (C) Encouraging as were the Prime Minister's evaluations
of concrete progress on the two crucial reforms facing
Albania, even more remarkable was his characterization of
interactions with the opposition, and in particular, with
SP's Edi Rama. He said several times, in reference to both
judicial and electoral reform, that both sides had
compromised, both sides were raising their issues openly, and
that relations were good. He concluded by saying "We are on
the right track, and this climate can continue. We are all
working fairly."


6. (C) Ambassador met separately with Edi Rama the same
day. While Rama was not as forthcoming about the specifics
of reforms underway, his attitude and demeanor were equally
positive and he also indicated relations were far better with


--------------
COMMENT
--------------

7. (C) We are not popping champagne corks yet; in Albania,
progress can come unglued very quickly. However, for the
time being, euphoria over Kosovo's expected imminent
declaration of independence and the prospects of achieving
the unanimously supported goal of a NATO invitation may be
building bridges and erasing egos. Should real reform, both
judicial and electoral, actually be achieved before the
Bucharest Summit, it will be as the result of the type of
non-partisan cooperation in the national interest that we
have always advocated. Should an invitation come at
Bucharest, it will be important for the international
community, particularly the USG, publicly to recognize all
parties' contributions to the effort, not just the
government's. END COMMENT.
WITHERS