Albania has most corrupt justice in Europe: PM

Albania has the most corrupt justice in Europe, which is "a national shame," Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a speech on Tuesday.

Speaking at a conference under the theme of "Fight against corruption," Rama addressing the corruption in the judicial system said that since the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s, corruption has been a big problem in the region.

"The conviction rate is low, invariably low," said Petrus van Duyne, a professor specializing in the study of corruption at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands.

"You must be a very brave judge to convict an important person," van Duyne said, referring to the fact that former Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta, who was involved in a corruption scandal, was given acquittal after the Supreme Court found the evidence in the case insufficient.

The government has started judicial reforms and will move forward, Rama added, saying congressmen's right decisions are needed.

"Albania made some progress in the fight against corruption and in the rule of law," German State Secretary for Europe Michael Roth.

Corruption has slowed Albania's progress toward an eventual European Union (EU) membership.

Germany is the among those EU member states that take the toughest stance on demanding reforms in Albania, according to an EU official. Endi