THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2008

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000426

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SUBJECT: THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2008


1. (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy
Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and
insight into developments in Albania.

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POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
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2. (U) CLASHES OVER HIGH COURT NOMINATIONS: It has been almost a
month since President Topi issued decrees appointing five new
members of the High Court (similar to the U.S. Supreme Court),and
to date the Speaker of Parliament, Jozefina Topalli, has not allowed
Parliament to vote on the nominations. The failure to appoint the
new justices has lead to difficulties in the operation of the
17-member Court, which finds itself overloaded with cases and
lacking the necessary quorum to form a panel. This week the term in
office of two other justices came to an end, bringing the number of
vacancies to an all time high of seven.


3. (U) Socialist opposition leader Edi Rama accused Speaker Topalli
this week of violating the constitution on this issue and has called
for a motion of no-confidence against her. With public pressure
over the case growing, Topalli rejected accusations that she had
overstepped her powers and insisted that President Topi must consult
Parliament before putting forward judicial nominations. In fact,
Topi did not consult with Parliament prior to making the
nominations, as in the past it had been the practice to nominate
judges without Parliamentary consent. Some cynics attributed the
President's decision not to consult Parliament as an unspoken
response to recent Constitutional amendments that altered
presidential elections (consultations on which were not conducted
with the President).


4. (U) The recent clashes come at a time of heightened tension
between the ruling majority and the opposition that have been
generated in large part by the majority's continued failure to lift
former Defense Minister Mediu's immunity following an April 25
request by Prosecutor General Ina Rama. Since the High Court hears
cases against high level officials, lines have been drawn over the
ongoing Gerdec criminal investigation and the seven upcoming
appointments to the Court. While it is not clear whether Parliament
will approve the President's nominations, the recent clash between
Speaker Topalli and President Topi has revealed the first open rift
between the two government institutions. Furthermore, her reluctance
to allow Parliament to vote on the decrees sets a negative precedent
for the rule of law and division of power in this NATO candidate
country.

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SOCIETY AND POLITICAL CULTURE
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5. (U) CORRUPTION AND GETTING THINGS DONE IN ALBANIA:
For the past decade corruption has become the main discourse in
Albanian politics and social life. It is present in daily
conversations among average individuals, a dark, hovering cloud that
rains on every citizen's life. From the moment you enter a
hospital, school, ministry, government building, court, or even to
get a birth certificate from the registration and records office, a
person must pay an extra unofficial fee or know a friend on the
inside to get anything accomplished.


6. (U) Corruption is not a new phenomenon in Albania, but an
ongoing occurrence that can be traced back to time immemorial.
While some political scientists claim that corrupt politicians and
institutions are an indication of what the country is like as a
whole, others believe that corrupt politics are in fact shaping the
structure of society. It is hard to say which came first, the
chicken or the egg, but it is easy to see its impact on everyday
life in Albania.


7. (U) The level of faith that individuals place in their
politicians, governments, and institutions depends on past history
as well as the always-fluctuating social dynamics that characterize
countries in transition. The current state of institution building
is difficult, and getting things done without money or nepotistic
practices is almost impossible. At the individual level, Albanian
society is still learning democratic behavior and what it entails.
However, in a society that prefers face to face interactions and
word of mouth procedures, the coffee shop is often the place where
things get done - whether it is acquiring a copy of your birth
certificate or securing an appointment with your doctor. Some
things never change.

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CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS
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8. (U) SUMMER IS HERE BUT THE ALBANIANS ARE GONE: As the summer
heat arrives, many Albanians are searching for a quick getaway at
the pool or a nearby beach. Few families can afford to spend entire
days on the Adriatic or Ionian coasts or plan for a vacation in the
southern cities of Albania, a tourist destination frequented by
Kosovar Albanians. But those who can afford a long vacation are
increasingly choosing to go abroad, as the Albanian coast has seen
few infrastructure improvements in recent years while prices have
continued to rise. Although Albania's southern coast is a preferred
destination, the trip is long and difficult, and can only be done by
car. Once there, the price of food and accommodation often does not
reflect the quality of service provided.


9. (U) Those who can have started to look for other destinations.
Turkey is the most popular, with low visa costs and convenient
application procedures for Albanian citizens. Complete travel
packages provide not only airfare, but also food and accommodation
at more competitive prices than visiting the Albanian coast. Like
most consumers, Albanians want the biggest bang for their buck, and
many times that can be found outside their own borders.


10. (U) YOUNGER BERISHA RESOLVES DISPUTE: There is an old
communist-era building in central Tirana, still referred to as the
Palace of Culture, which houses an international bookstore
patronized mostly by foreigners. A dispute over the store's damaged
inventory was recently resolved by none other than the Prime
Minister's daughter, Argita Berisha. Ms. Berisha, whose private law
practice in Tirana has flourished in recent years, has increasingly
found an enviable demand for her services. In her most recent case,
the poor quality of renovation work on the second floor above the
bookstore led to a fight between the Italian renovation company and
the bookstore owner, who sought damages for his ruined inventory.
The dispute was settled out of court when Ms. Berisha's services
were procured by the bookstore. In what can only be described as a
demonstration of her keen legal skills, the owners of the second
floor business paid damages the next day, an uncommonly fast
resolution in a country where law suits can take years to resolve
themselves.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
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11. An excerpt from Ambassador Withers' statement this week on
recent troubling political developments regarding the Gerdec
investigation: "The American government and people will be deeply
concerned if any political faction, party, or leader makes
statements or takes actions that in any way injects a political
agenda into what must be an impartial and independent investigation
based on the rule of law."

WITHERS