“Add a salary list too, Ulsi would pass it today” — Debate heats up in the Laws Committee, Manja to Strazimiri: Do not obstruct it

During the presentation of the draft law “On the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing” in the Committee on Legal Affairs, the discussion between chairman Ulsi Manja and MP Gent Strazimiri was accompanied by exchanges over the manner and speed of reviewing the initiative.

Manja demanded the procedure continue because of obligations linked to European integration, while Strazimiri asked for more time to review the draft law.

Part of the debate in the Laws Committee:

Manja: Committee meetings are held by notifying the Speaker of the Assembly, because it is impossible for us to fulfil the calendar if we do not meet during this week. We are a decision-making committee. We look at it from the standpoint of this draft law’s compliance with the Constitution and the legal framework in force. The responsible committee designated is the Economy Committee. Today we must express ourselves as a Committee, so that the Economy Committee is given the opportunity to review it as a draft law. Since Mr Strazimiri and I are both for EU membership at a fast pace, on page 6 the report says: ‘The draft law aims at full approximation with the EU acquis in the field of preventing money laundering’. The faster we adopt this law, the faster the doors close. Whenever we deal with complete draft laws, we cannot touch them. We cannot intervene in the content, because the balance would be disturbed.

Strazimiri: While you’re at it, you have Ulsi with this mindset, put a salary list in this law too, as they did in the Constitution for prosecutors and judges, and Ulsi will pass it for you today. Set whatever figure you want. Then, after 190 years, we will deal with a court decision on whether you should have these salaries or not. If the first time you were unprepared, this is not a law you need to bring into force tomorrow. It enters into force in 2028. If the aim is sincere, I told you, let us look at it more carefully after a month.

Manja: We have two years to look at it.

Strazimiri: You have two years, Ulsi, but you’re passing it in 20 minutes.

Manja: My worry is what the Speaker of the Assembly will say in the session, because I myself would pass it.

Strazimiri: That’s another worry. Today’s work, doing this in 20 minutes, even you yourself don’t know what harm we are passing here.

Manja: Mr Strazimiri, please, let us continue with the agenda, do not obstruct integration.