
The European Commission has shared a critical stance regarding two appointments made in the Albanian Parliament to independent institutions.
According to the progress report published this Wednesday, the Ombudsman, Endrit Shabani, as well as the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, Genta Tafa Bungo, were elected only with the votes of the Socialist Party.
The EC describes them as political appointments and states that this method has broken the tradition of consolidating inter-party consensus.
"Parliament made appointments to independent institutions, but the politicization of these appointments remains a serious issue."
The Ombudsman was elected solely with the votes of the governing majority, breaking a consolidated tradition of inter-party consensus. The same process was followed for the appointment of a new Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination,” the report states.