A diplomatic incident between the USA and Albania took place, a few days ago, leaving many wondering what form the relations of the two countries will take in the foreseeable future.
The incident took place between the Albania’s General Prosecutor and the US Ambassador to Tirana last week.
In an event about democracy organized by the EU office in Albania, the American diplomat directly accused the General Prosecutor that he is working against crucial reforms in the judicial system, something that is of vital importance for the EU, the US and Albania itself.

The US diplomat stated that for reasons that have to do with these reforms, the US Embassy denied a visa to him and his wife as well as seventy other Albanian prosecutors and judges.

The General Prosecutor’s reaction was swift and his representative accused the US Ambassador of mingling with the Albanian Justice. He argued that this as well as previous statements the diplomat had made were targeting him for personal reasons, indeed mentioning that, he had tried to intervene and cancel certain interrogations linked with specific important open cases. Before this incident the General Prosecutor had sent a letter to the President of Albania and to the Head of the Albanian Parliament, complaining about the pressure he was accepting from the US Ambassador about some cases.

Right after the exchange of these statements, the US Ambassador went to meet the Prime Minister and they talked for 30 minutes without any announcement as to what their conversation was about.

But things got even worse as the American diplomat requested a hearing from the President of Albania, but it was turned down! On the contrary, the President saw the General Prosecutor, sending a clear message to Washington as to whose side he is on.

It will be very interesting to see how all this is going to evolve…