The increase in transparency of public authorities offers citizens, civil society organizations, and the media a complete overview, as well as easier and faster access to state information. Under the theme “Building Trust, Albania’s Path to the EU Towards Transparent Governance”, a forum was held co-organized by the Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption (MAPA) and the EU Delegation to Albania, marking the conclusion of the “Integrity Week”.
The forum was greeted by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama, the Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption, Mrs. Adea Pirdeni, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Petrit Malaj, the Head of the EU Delegation to our country, Mr. Silvio Gonzato, and the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, Mr. Besnik Dervishi.
In his speech, the Commissioner praised the significant improvement in the proactive transparency of ministry institutions, highlighting that this result was continuously and highly effectively coordinated with MAPA. Among other things, Mr. Dervishi said: “Transparency contributes to the implementation of constitutional principles of equality, impartiality, good performance, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in the use of resources. This integrates the right to good administration and contributes to the creation of an administration that serves the citizen. Legislation on the right to information, and particularly the Transparency Program tool, has enriched the operational space of the transparency principle, making it functional even in the fight against corruption. The principle of transparency thus becomes a tool to guarantee democracy and good governance. Proactive transparency is not only about making information available – it is about fostering an environment where openness and accountability are the norm, not the exception. In European practice, it is inconceivable for a public authority not to implement an opinion or recommendation from the Commissioner for the Right to Information. The relationship of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) with public authorities, and these with the citizen and certainly with civil society, the media, or any interest group, must be based on integrity and institutional loyalty. This is our axiom.”
A part of this forum was the organization of two panels for presenting best practices aimed at strengthening the transparency of public authorities. In the first one, titled “EU and International Perspectives,” the representative of the Commissioner’s Office, Mrs. Elona Hoxhaj – Director General of the Right to Information, was also invited. She emphasized the importance of proactive transparency in the performance of state institutions in relation to citizens, as well as the necessity to strengthen it and keep it constantly in focus in the activities of public authorities.
At this forum, Minister Pirdeni presented the platform “Transparent Albania“, which aims to transform the way citizens interact with public institutions, in order to consolidate trust and commitment to the highest standards of open governance. This activity was part of the project “European Union for Good Governance,” which focuses on proactive transparency in governance as a key pillar of the EU Growth Plan, considering it an important measure in the fight against corruption.
