In an interview with journalist Ervin Koçi for A2 CNN, two American senators, Chris Murphy and Gary Peters, argued that purging politics of corrupt elements is a process that must take place.
When asked what they thought about the fact that in the recent elections, two people declared “non grata” by the Secretary of State for major corruption and undermining democracy led the campaign for two parties, Peters responded, “It is important to ensure that the country fights corruption and removes it from politics in Albania.” People must have faith in the system and think that those who represent them are not corrupt in any way in order to build a strong democracy. So Albania must continue its journey to develop democracy, as we all do, and as we in the United States of America do all the time. Democracy is not something you can just acquire; it is a constant challenge. You must always ensure that you are fighting for the principles of a free and democratic society.
According to Senator Murphy, “Albania has made significant progress in the fight against corruption.” Of course, there are still reforms to be implemented, but we have seen significant progress in the legal system, where people who were inside the system and attempted to exploit their positions are departing, and this is a true signal that this country is committed to fighting corruption. Senator Peters is correct, we all have challenges, don’t we? The United States of America cannot travel around the world pretending to be flawless. Our democracy, too, has flaws. So, one of the reasons we’re here is to work on common issues, so that more people vote in elections and abusers are punished as harshly as possible.