The protests in Albania and the actions of the police during the rallies have come to the attention of the European Parliament.
Twelve MEPs, most of them from the right-wing European People's Party (EPP) group, have addressed questions to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
Among the signatories is MEP Fredi Beleri. The initiative was taken by the head of the Austrian EPP delegation, Reinhold Lopatka, while the MEPs who joined the request are part of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
The focus of the request is on allegations of disproportionate use of force by the police during protests, respect for the rights of detained persons, especially minors, as well as measures that can be taken to prevent further violations.
MEPs refer to reports that the use of rubber bullets by police has caused injuries to protesters and journalists. The document also mentions the Ombudsman's investigation into the necessity and proportionality of the force used by the officers.
The letter to Kallas states that the European Commission's statement of October 18 condemned the violence and called for proportionality, but according to the signatories it did not sufficiently address the issue of accountability. They argue that respect for fundamental rights and accountability for alleged violations should be part of Albania's integration process into the European Union.
MEPs want to know what steps the High Representative will take, through the European External Action Service (EEAS), to raise these concerns directly with the Albanian authorities.
One of the demands is the development of independent, impartial and effective investigations into the use of force by the police, the obstruction of journalists and the alleged violations of the rights of detained persons. In this context, it is also required to examine the responsibility of the leaders of police operations, publish the results of the investigations and, where necessary, take judicial or disciplinary measures.
Another point concerns detained persons, especially minors. MEPs demand guarantees that they are provided with all the rights provided for by Albanian legislation and international human rights standards, including cooperation with the Ombudsman and independent monitoring.
Finally, the 12 MEPs also link the issue to Albania's EU accession negotiations. They demand that the country's obligations under Chapter 1, "Fundamentals", particularly on police accountability and respect for fundamental rights, be followed up concretely in cases where shortcomings are identified.
According to them, measurable commitments should be defined to address the problems and prevent further violations./ TCH
