Kerry in Albania to press reform

TIRANA, Albania (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed Albania on Sunday to enact a major package of judicial and legislative reforms.

Kerry, returning to the United States from a four-day trip to Germany, made a brief stop in the capital Tirana to urge the government and opposition parties to support the package, which is now pending in parliament. Kerry said the reforms would be a significant step forward in Albania's bid to join the European Union.

The changes include the creation of an anti-corruption court and prosecutor's office as well as a national investigative body similar to the American Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. has provided some $20 million in assistance to support the reforms and another $5 million is budgeted for them this year.

After meeting Kerry, President Bujar Nishani said he had assured him of "Albania's determination against organized crime and corruption."

Prime Minister Edi Rama said he expected the reforms to be adopted next month.

"I am very confident we shall do that and with the United States of America on our side there is optimism for success," Rama said.

The pending reform package is the latest effort to clean up what was once one of Europe's most dysfunctional governments. In December, Albania's parliament approved legislation barring people with criminal records from holding public office or most civil service jobs. The new legislation gave three months to people currently in office or in most civil service jobs who have a criminal record to resign. After that they will be dismissed.

Kerry praised Albania for its efforts so far but reminded Rama and his government that more must be done.

"In the end, only Albanians can enact the right laws and insist on their effective implementation," he said. "Fighting corruption is hard but necessary work - and it is vital to Albania's economic future and its ability to become one with Europe."

While in Tirana, Kerry also thanked Albania for its contributions to the fight against the Islamic State group, saying the majority Muslim country was a leader in countering violent extremism.

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Llazar Semini contributed to this report.