Albania MPs to Vote on 'Decriminalising Politics'

The Albanian parliament will vote in December on whether to adopt a new law excluding people with criminal convictions from holding public office.

The proposed law, referred to as the 'decriminalisation law', will permanently ban people who have been convicted of serious offences, including murder, rape and genocide, from appointment or election to state institutions.

If passed, all MPs, local politicians, government officials, civil servants and members of the military and police forces will be subject to criminal background checks.

The vote was scheduled after the two main government coalition members, the Socialist and Democratic parties, agreed on Monday to amend the constitution so the proposed law can be adopted. The deal was reached after several months of negotiations.

"This law will not only guarantee that people with criminal records stay out of parliament, it will also stop MPs from making strong [sometimes unfounded] allegations against each other in this important institution. From now on, only the law will decide if high-ranking officials have a criminal past or not," Taulant Balla, vice-chair of the cross-party parliamentary commission set up to draft the new legislation, told the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN.

In addition to permanently barring people with serious convictions, the new law will impose minimum time periods before those convicted of lesser offences can assume office.

An official found guilty of corruption would be banned from holding public office for 20 years, while those convicted of offences resulting in jail terms of two years or under will be barred for 10 years.

Albanians who are facing trial or are subject to international arrest warrants would also be barred.

...