Albania's Lulzim Basha calls for vetting to tackle corruption in politics

TIRANA, Dec 24, 2024 – Albanian opposition leader Lulzim Basha has reiterated his call for a political vetting process to address corruption and connections to organized crime within government ranks.

Basha, who heads the Democratic Party – Euro-Atlantic Democrats, said his draft law for vetting politicians has been awaiting approval in parliament for over a year.

“The time has come to separate fact from fiction and rebuild trust in politics,” Basha wrote on social media. “Albanians deserve to know who is corrupt, who has ties to crime, and who has abused their trust.”

Critics of the initiative claim it could be used as a political weapon against rivals. Basha, however, argues the measure would benefit all Albanians, improving governance and paving the way for democratic reforms.

Basha has accused political opponents of deliberately stalling the proposal, saying it is “locked in parliament’s drawers” due to narrow personal interests.

International partners, including the European Union, have repeatedly called on Albania to deliver tangible results in its fight against corruption and organized crime, issues that have delayed the country’s EU accession process. Transparency International recently ranked Albania among the most corrupt nations in Europe, highlighting growing public frustration with political accountability.

Basha has linked the success of his vetting initiative to the upcoming May elections, urging voters to make corruption a decisive issue.