Remarks to Announce 4th Annual Judicial Reform Index

Remarks of USAID/Albania Mission Director, Roberta Mahoney
Release of ABA/ROLI's Judicial Reform Index 2009
April 10, 2009

Minister Alibeaj, Vice Chairman Spahiu, Chief Justice Ms. Becaj, Judge Fullani, Ms. Ladun, ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development, it is a pleasure to be here today to address the future judges and lawyers of Albania about the issue of judicial reform.

The Judicial Reform Index, or JRI, conducted by the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative, is a comprehensive assessment of the state of the judiciary in Albania and a valuable measure of the impact of judicial reform efforts throughout the country.  

A strong judiciary is the key to Albania’s long-term success. The United States Government is firmly committed to the development of an effective, impartial and democratic judicial system in Albania. 

All of us working to improve Albania’s judiciary can use the findings of the four JRIs completed thus far, to monitor trends, track progress and identify areas where more work is needed. The JRI mentions many of the reform activities of local and international stakeholders and notes that while some progress has been made, there is much that remains to be done. 

Women are increasingly filling higher positions in the sector, with a significant increase in the number of women now holding important positions in Appellate and High Courts.

Albania has also established clear criteria for judicial advancement which will reward judges on performance and merits.

Two newly found judicial associations are proving to be staunch and active advocates for judges’ interests, including bringing cases before the Constitutional Court.

These are developments that show that rules are being established, performance is being rewarded, and checks to the system are becoming more sophisticated.

But independence and transparency remain a significant challenge. Whether due to limited resources, “red tape”, or perceived or real political interference in the courts, the result is that corruption in the judicial sector erodes public confidence in the primacy of the courts to deliver justice.

The findings presented in the JRI are based on quantifiable data and qualitative interviews of Albanian legal professionals and judges.

This is the system in which you work, this report represents your assessments of the sector, and I hope the findings point the way for you to find more and better solutions--to build a transparent and fair judicial system comprised of professionals guided by principles of integrity and independence.

As development professionals, USAID understands that progress and reforms have many layers, takes many individuals, many efforts, and much time.

We understand that justice sector reforms are of vital importance to Albania’s development because they directly effect how effectively public institutions respond to the needs of citizens and businesses, particularly foreign investments in the country.

To be sure, the pace of Albania’s future integration into Europe will be determined by the actions not only undertaken by today’s politician, judges, but also by you, the future leaders of Albania’s justice sector.

I take this special opportunity to encourage you to utilize the findings in this report and build on the progress that is being made.

I know many of you gave your time and insights to the JRI assessment team, and I would like to thank you for your contributions. 

I would also like to recognize the commitment, professionalism and hard work of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in producing the JRI.  USAID and the entire U.S. Mission is pleased to support this effort today.