Iljazaj: Rama has regretted the Justice Reform

Analyst Elvis Iljazaj, during a discussion in the Euronews Albania studio, analyzed the proposed changes to the Criminal Procedure Code and Prime Minister Edi Rama’s stance toward the Justice Reform, describing the whole initiative as a “hypocritical reform” for the interests of politicians.

“It is a reform that has been made for politicians, because justice has come to the politicians’ door. That is as clear as daylight. I saw a prime minister who has regretted the Justice Reform in that speech there.

It is a hypocritical reform, a reform that is being made for politicians and not for citizens. These are the people who today speak about fundamental human freedoms and rights, who put people in prison because they had not paid for electricity in Albania. Poor people who had no money to pay for electricity were put in prison! And today, now that the trouble has come to their own door, they speak about fundamental human freedoms and rights and about guarantees,” he said.

The analyst adds that this initiative provides for no measure to shorten court proceedings or resolve citizens’ property cases.

“I see nothing to help the courts with logistics, I see nothing to speed up the files piled up there in the courts. I saw none of that in this reform. These are the things that truly matter to citizens.”

Iljazaj underlines that the majority called SPAK its greatest success only when opposition figures were being arrested.

“I make this political analysis: that this is a reform that has been made for politicians, not for citizens. I told you once again, is there anything in this reform about the piled-up files? There is nothing! Is there anything in this reform for the people who have been languishing at doors for their properties for 30 years? So why don’t they, for example, make a reform on properties in the justice system, to shorten the proceedings?

Now justice has come to the door of powerful people, who also have good lawyers, and money, and instruments, and media with which they can defend themselves.

What interests me is that Albanian politics makes reforms when its own troubles are touched, not the citizens’ troubles. I cannot trust a politics that worries about freedoms and rights only when it comes to politicians,” Iljazaj said.