Two Republican members of the US Congress have asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider the possibility of imposing visa restrictions on Albanian officials for whom there is reliable information on involvement in serious corruption.
The demand comes at a time when Albania is facing continuing protests against the government.
According to a report published by Fox NewsThe congressmen Joe Wilson and Keith Self, the latter chairman of the European Subcommittee for the House of Representatives, have sent a letter to Rubio in which they express concern for the state of democracy and rule of law in Albania.
On paper, they stress that the United States has invested in justice reform in Albania and that they have an interest for institutions created within it to function independently.
Wilson and Self ask the State Department to consider the possibility of using the authority that the section gives to the US legislation on financing foreign operations.
This provision allows American authorities to declare publicly inappropriate US entry by foreign officials and their close family members when there is reliable information on involvement in serious corruption.
However, congressmen’s request does not imply that the decision to impose sanctions has been made, but calls on the US administration to assess whether legal conditions for such action have been met.
In their letter, Wilson and Self seek answers to November 5th on four issues: possible review of visa restrictions, US support for justice reform, commitment of the US Embassy in Tirana to the protection of protesters and journalists, as well as developments related to the issue of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluk.
By Fox NewsCongressmen refer to Balluk’s investigation into alleged intervention in public procurement procedures for road construction.
They express concern that anti-corruption institutions cannot be effective if officials under investigation are protected by political leaders.
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Source Layer: Signal