The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, participated today in the marking of the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Corruption Agency.
On this occasion, in her address to the participants, Acting President Haxhiu stated that this anniversary is certainly a moment of reflection on the path we have taken as a state and on the responsibility we have for forthcoming journey ahead.
“History is also written by the way it protects the principles on which it is built. And among these principles, undoubtedly, are integrity, responsibility, but also equality before the law”, said Acting President Haxhiu.
According to her, twenty years are proof of the maturity of an institution, adding that when the mission is to protect the public interest, every year is a test in itself.
“Because corruption never stops. It changes form, seeks new paths and tries to penetrate where institutions are weak and where vigilance fades. Therefore, the fight against corruption is not a battle that is won once and for all. It is a continuous effort to protect citizens’ trust in the state, that is, in our Republic. In reports and statistics, corruption is measured in numbers. But citizens know it differently. They know it as the tender that is won before it is opened. As the permit that is obtained with a phone call. As the competition where the winner is known before the first application is submitted. As the door that opens for someone just because they know someone in an institution”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu.
She further said that corruption does not only steal public money, it purloins the opportunity and justice, and it also defrauds the trust.
“And when citizens lose faith that the law applies equally to everyone, much more than an administrative procedure is lost. So, what is very important to us is lost, the trust of citizens in the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, in the institutions of their own state. Therefore, every act against corruption is an act in defense of the Republic of Kosovo,” said Acting President Haxhiu.
According to Acting President Haxhiu, one case prevented is one less injustice, adding further that every official who chooses integrity over personal interest strengthens our state more than any public or political statement does.
For this reason, according to her, the work of the Agency has an importance that goes beyond procedures.
“So, you do not only administer asset declarations. You do not only handle cases of conflict of interest or protect whistleblowers. You defend a fundamental principle of our Republic: that no one is above the law and that public power is always a responsibility and never a privilege. For this mission, you deserve the respect and gratitude of the Republic of Kosovo. Gratitude to all those who, throughout these two decades, have served in this institution with professionalism, impartiality and courage”, said Acting President Haxhiu.
She said that if we have an institution where officials are not suspected of any influence, any bias, it is precisely the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, on which she congratulated them.
According to Acting President Haxhiu, credibility is not built with statements, but with fair decisions, with daily integrity, with stability even when the pressure is greatest.
“The rule of law is not built only by those court hearings or in courtrooms, but is built in every institution that puts public interest above private interest. It is built in every procedure that must be transparent. In every conflict of interest that we ourselves as officials must prevent. And, in every asset that is declared honestly. In every whistleblower who has the courage to speak out and who finds a state that protects him and not that takes revenge on him. I even remember that in the changes we have made to the criminal code, we have also addressed the criminal offense of retaliation against whistleblowers and it must be implemented by our justice institutions”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu.
According to her, the reforms that have been undertaken to strengthen the mandate of the Agency and to combat unjustified wealth are proof that the Republic of Kosovo will not accept that corruption is treated as normality.
“I can’t wait for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to be constituted and for the Ministry of Justice to proceed with the Draft Law on the Bureau for the Confiscation of Unjustified Assets, because I believe it is a very important law that will assess the declaration of assets and the assets of officials in the Republic of Kosovo”, stated Acting President Haxhiu.
Because, according to Acting President Haxhiu, there can be no strong state with weak institutions, there can be no sustainable democracy without accountability, there can be no economic development where there is a lack of trust in justice and there can be no European integration without institutional integrity.
“You know very well that our path towards the European Union passes through the rule of law. But the fight against corruption is not done only to get a positive assessment, that is, in a report. It is done because the citizens of our Republic deserve a state that functions fairly. A state where opportunities are not bought. Where justice is not negotiated. Where the law does not choose who to protect”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu.
As Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo and as Speaker of the Assembly, she added that the institutions of the Republic will remain steadfast in supporting this important institution and in the support that your mission has.
“Your independence must be protected. Your integrity must be respected. Your capacities must be strengthened. Because when the Agency that fights corruption is protected, the Republic of Kosovo itself is actually protected. Twenty years ago, declaring assets was a novelty. Today it is the standard. Even we who declare assets every year understand what a challenge it is to be as careful as possible in our declarations and often have constant contact with the staff and officials of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption. But, remain convinced that this approach of ours to the Agency is precisely such in order that we do not make any mistakes in our asset declarations”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu.
