GOA APPROVES BENEFITS FOR TIP VICTIMS; PLEDGES MORE ASSISTANCE

UNCLAS TIRANA 000085

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE; DRL; G/TIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KTIP KWMN KDRM PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: GOA APPROVES BENEFITS FOR TIP VICTIMS; PLEDGES MORE
ASSISTANCE

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) Summary: Over the past three months, the GOA has launched
several new initiatives in anti-TIP to accelerate the momentum it
lost in the latter half of 2009 during the electoral campaign.
Foremost among these initiatives are the GOA's decision that victims
of trafficking are now eligible for social services and that
shelters will receive state assistance in 2010. The MFA will also
host a regional TIP conference in April, and the Prosecutor
General's Office endorsed stronger cooperation. The developments
are significant and provide much needed assistance to the shelters
and the victims. Adding to the progress was the MFA's effort last
week to heighten the visibility of trafficking by naming TIP
activist Vera Lesko as Albania's TIP Ambassador at Large. Lesko, in
her acceptance remarks, praised the GOA for the reduction in
trafficking. End summary.

2. (SBU) In the past few weeks, the GOA has announced two major
initiatives aimed at assisting victims of trafficking. First,
National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and Deputy Minister of
Interior Iva Zajmi announced that victims of trafficking will soon
be eligible to receive state social services for, among other
things, medical care. This is significant because in the past
victims of trafficking have been unable to receive free medical care
from the state after their experiences. In addition, Minister of
Interior Lulzim Basha met with the leaders of the five shelters (one
government run and four NGO run) two weeks ago, and pledged that the
NGO shelters would receive GOA financial assistance in 2010.
Harkening back to PM Sali Berisha's pledge to assist the shelters
financially, Basha said that the shelters need only to present
proposals to his Ministry for funding and then financing could be
provided. In separate conversations with NGO representatives
present at the meeting, they characterized the meeting with Basha as
"positive" and seemed perplexed that he was actually "listening" to
them and discussing how to move forward. NGO representatives added
that they have funding proposals ready so the ball will quickly
return to the GOA's court.

3. (SBU) In a separate meeting, Prosecutor General Ina Rama told the
Deputy Chief of Mission she would review Post's suggestion that Rama
appoint an advocate for victims in her office in order to protect
victims' rights and assist them through the prosecution process.
Recognizing that prosecutors view trafficking cases differently from
social workers, Rama said that such an advocate could play a key
role in improving cases and therefore convictions. Post also raised
cases in which convicted traffickers had been freed by the Supreme
Court on what some legal scholars say were dubious legal grounds.
Rama said she is well aware of this phenomenon and has raised it
personally with the Prime Minister.

4. (SBU) The MFA also wants to get in on the action and honored Vera
Lesko, the founder of the Vatra shelter in Vlore and a 2009 TIP
Hero, as a TIP Honorary Ambassador on February 4. FM Ilir Meta
hailed Lesko's work at the well-attended event and announced that
the GOA will host a regional conference on combating TIP in April.
When Lesko spoke, she said that trafficking in persons has declined
considerably over previous years and cited the government's role in
combating trafficking, as a key factor. She also urged all parties
to remain vigilant, saying that while the NGO community has come a
long way in past years, the struggle is not over. Foreign Minister
Ilir Meta told poloff after the event that funding for the shelters
is forthcoming.

5. (SBU) Comment: The announcements that TIP victims would receive
free social services and that the GOA will provide financial
assistance to the shelters are important measures and highly
significant, once enacted. However, two local leaders of the NGO
community have both said that they feel this time these pledges will
be honored, a noteworthy sentiment given their usual pessimistic
nature regarding the GOA. There is no question that the GOA is
talking more about both of these issues and increasing its direct
engagement, both of which are positive. As for the Supreme Court
and prosecutions, PG Rama seemed quite open to moving forward but
did acknowledge the difficulty not only in prosecuting TIP cases,
but also the general corruption in the judicial system. In Post's
view, the reversals of TIP convictions reflect widespread corruption
in the judiciary rather than any ill intentions by the GOA, as many
cases are overturned on numerous issues. The MFA's splash onto the
scene is also welcome, although some feathers have already been
ruffled by FM Meta's "intrusion" into anti-TIP activities.
Regardless, it is heartening to hear GOA officials complain about
other officials doing TIP work; these spats are more welcome than no
one talking about TIP at all.
WITHERS