Remarks by U.S. Ambassador John L. Withers at the Signing Ceremony, MCC-Albania Threshold Program II (October 17, 2008)

Mr. Prime Minister, Honorable Ministers, Ms. Kraham, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
Today is a day of pride. Today is a day of hope. Today is a day of expectation.

Today is a day of pride because we celebrate the successes of the first stage MCC-Albania Threshold Program. Those successes have been many. Those successes have been significant. Those successes have been profound, as we have seen and heard today.
Today is also a day of pride because in just a few moments we’ll sign the agreement for Stage II MCC Threshold. (full remarks)

Remarks by U.S. Ambassador John L. Withers at the Workshop on the Coordination of Institutions Against Money Laundering at Tirana Prosecutor’s Office

Good morning. It is a great honor to be here today in the Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office and to be sharing this podium with Prosecutor General Ina Rama and Professor Jimmy Gurule.

It is also always a pleasure for me to be with Cindy Eldridge. I want to thank her and OPDAT for their role in arranging this important workshop.

This workshop is not only important, but it is also great opportunity. By bringing together the expertise that we have represented in this room; by bringing together prosecutors, judicial police, FIU inspectors, and bank compliance officers, we have brought together the team that we need to fight a very important scourge. That scourge is money laundering and it is the backbone of organized crime, of corruption, and of terrorism. These are crimes that affect not only Albania, but the entire world. (full remarks)

U.S. Embassy Political Chief at NYU Tirana

As part of the Embassy's revitalized Speaker's Bureau Program, Political Chief Paul Poletes spoke to over 75 students at the University of New York in Tirana on October 16, 2008.  Mr. Poletes touched upon the U.S. Presidential elections, the possible effects a new administration could have on U.S. foreign policy in the Balkans, and the current U.S. and global financial crisis. The event ended with a questions/answer session where students asked questions about the topics of the evening but also were interested in hearing about U.S. relations with Macedonia and Kosovo.

U.S. Expert on U.S. Elections

Avid U.S. presidential election followers flocked to hear election expert Jerry Hagstrom's review of the current U.S. elections, October 13-14, 2008. Hagstrom traveled throughout the Albanian capital of Tirana, speaking to over 100 students and faculty at the European University of Tirana, addressing over 25 key influencers and NGO leaders at the American Corner and lecturing to more than 250 students at the University of Tirana's Faculty of Political Science.  Hagstrom also traveled to Elbasan, where he addressed over 50 students at the University there.  The visit wrapped up with an interview with News 24 TV, where Hagstrom highlighted the historical elections and explained the U.S. election system.

ICITAP Albania, OSCE Albania and the Kosovo Centre for Public Safety Education train Albanian State Police on promotions and leadership assessment centres

On 17 October, 2008, the US Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), the OSCE Presence in Albania, in conjunction with  and the Kosovo Centre for Public Safety Education and Development (KCPSED), concluded a two-week training course for the Albanian State Police (ASP) addressing the issues of promotion and leadership assessment.  The training provided to the State Police over the last two weeks is intended to support utilizing the ICITAP recommended promotion system to promote police officers and how to assess potential, future leaders.

Tirana, Albania – Tax Expert: National-Scale Interventions Needed

University of Illinois Professor of Economy and American Enterprise Institute Fellow Richard Vedder worked with the Municipality of Durrës, Albania's second largest, on the city’s tax system, Oct 6-9. Vedder told the Durrës affiliate station of Tirana-based News 24, “The Durrës Municipality, part of which is Albania's largest seaport, has got to earn revenues from the use of the port. Not all should go to the national government.” Vedder worked with the city hall’s tax, urban planning, and services departments to propose ways to improve tax collection as a way to increase much needed local government investments in infrastructure and the tourism industry.

Statement by U.S. Embassy Spokesman Bix Aliu

We are very troubled by the recent actions of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Interior to interfere with the independence of the Prosecutor's Office during an on-going investigation. All cases should be fully, completely and independently investigated without any outside interference or threats to prosecutors. Respect of all independent institutions is essential for a healthy democracy.

U.S. Export and Border Security Assistance Mission Contributes Nuclear Material Detection Equipment to Albanian Customs and Border Police

U.S. Embassy Chargé Steve Cristina and U.S. Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) Mission Chief Matthew Jones participated today at an equipment handover ceremony with the Albanian Customs Director Përparim Dervishi, Border Police Director Pëllumb Nako and Radiation Protection Office Chief Rustem Paçi.  Cristina stressed the importance of cooperation with the Albanian authorities in strengthening border control and security as a means to ensure the safety of Albanian citizens and beyond. (more)

U.S. Embassy Vice Consul Featured in Prestigious Magazine

Vice Consul Stephanie Boscaino was featured in the September issue of the prestigious monthly Spektër magazine.  The interview focused on Stephanie’s career and the role of women in diplomacy, as well as on her experience in Albania.  Stephanie expressed her appreciation for Albanian social values, in particular the importance Albanians place on family, a shared value with the people of the United States.  She also praised Albania’s unspoiled nature.  Stephanie’s message to women who aspire for careers typically considered as male dominated, areas such politics or diplomacy was to charge forward! She noted that the road at times may be difficult but not impossible and that education is the key.

ICITAP Chief: New Law To Uproot Corruption in Police Ranks

Second top-circulation daily Panorama published an interview with DOJ’s ICITAP Tirana Program Chief Darrel Hart on the law on the Interior Ministry’s Internal Control Service (ICS) on October 4. The interview came after weeks of politicized debates on the intent of the bill and Hart reiterated that with ICITAP, EU’s Euralius, and OSCE assistance, the draft law meets European and Western standards and seeks to improve ICS’s capabilities to tackle corruption among police ranks. The interview appeared hours before the Parliament met to discuss the bill one last time before voting on it.

A Begging Child Shows More Needs to Be Done

Ambassador Withers delivered remarks at a round table of the Albanian Coalition “Together Against Child Trafficking,” noting poverty, poor child protection mechanisms, and inadequacies in law enforcement allow trafficking of children to happen. The USAID-supported event, attended by the Albanian PM and several Ministers, drew attention to the need to do more to prevent and fight child trafficking, “a terrible cancer” plaguing the Albanian and other societies worldwide.
The Ambassador pledged the U.S. Embassy will “stand by you in everyway possible to see that the national strategy becomes reality,” during the vital implementation phase. (more)

Historic U.S. Senate Vote on Albania (September 26, 2008)

Yesterday marked a historic moment in U.S. Albanian relations: the U.S. Senate voted to approve Croatia’s and Albania’s NATO Accession Protocols to the Washington Treaty.  As one of the first countries in the NATO Alliance to vote in favor of this important document, the United States eagerly looks forward to welcoming Albania as a full partner in NATO.  This action by the Senate has unparalleled significance.  It represents not only a vote of confidence in one of America's staunchest partners, but a sincere acknowledgement of the determination of the Albanian government, the opposition, and most of all, the Albanian people in achieving this important milestone. (more)

The Poetry of Diplomacy

Ambassador John Withers and PAS-sponsored American poet Claudia Keelan headlined an evening devoted to American poet Wallace Stevens at the 4th Annual Poeteka Festival in Durrës.  In a culture that highly values literary works, American Night at the poetry festival was a successful opportunity to inform more Albanians about American cultural values that drive U.S. policies and underpin all of our development assistance.   The program was punctuated with actual voice recordings of Wallace reading his poems and live cello performances of Gershwin melodies.  An Albanian translation of selected Stevens poems will be donated to the American Studies departments at Albanian Universities.  The event received broad media coverage.

Supporting U.S. Exports with Culinary Diplomacy

Why did the American chicken cross the road?  Why, to be featured in the Tirana Chefs' Chicken Cook-Off, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council.  APAO Leigh Rieder joined Council rep Lisa Lindblad and local TV/Radio personalities on the judges' panel that selected the winning dish, all featuring American chicken.  The event was designed to encourage home cooks to buy imported U.S. chicken by showcasing Tirana chefs' original recipes developed for the competition.  As part of a larger agricultural fair, the Cook-Off  attracted a sizable audience, including media, and represented a successful cooperative effort between the Council, the Embassy's Econ/Commercial Section, and PAS.