U.S. State Department report: In Albania corruption is very high

US Department of State released the 2010 human rights report for 194 countries of the world. The report gives an overview for each country during 2010. 25 pages of this document were referred to Albania.

Mentioning the Parliamentary Elections of 2009, which, according to OSCE, were better than the previous elections, but didn’t achieve the standards.

Related with the financing of political parties, the document says that this case remains largely obscure. Corruption and impunity still continues. The report says that government corruption remained a serious and unresolved problem.

Discrimination against women, children and homosexual persons is also a big problem. Trafficking of persons also remained a problem. As for the Roma community, the report mentions the National Action Plan 2010-2015, with a budget of 2.5 billion leks (14 million Euros).

Regarding the role of the media, the report writes that the government and the businesses influence very much and exert pressure against the media. Critics against the government may be open, private and without limit, says the report, but there are some exceptions. Some media have been under strong pressure for the taxes, because of their political convictions.

Again on the media, the report says that media were active, but nevertheless there have been direct and indirect pressures against them, including threatens against journalists.

The report also says that the Albanian Constitution provides an independent judicial system, but political pressure, threats, open corruptions and limited instruments have obstacle their independent function.

The report says that the Police beats and mistreats their suspects during questioning and imprisonment.
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