uL stration and eV tting in post-communist Albania inter-linked with civic trust in governmental institutions 138 Even the optimism of Albanians Public Opinion measured with the Eurobarometer in 1995 and 1996, the civic-trust in governmental institutions was very weak taking in consideration the fragility of Albania institutions that collapse in mid-1997. In 1997 civil unrest in Albania brought the “collapse of state institutions” and in years after the “public trust in institutions continues to be low63. World Bank report states, “In mid-1997, trust in public authority was at a low ebb. Past government and political institutions were discredited by their complacency over the pyramid schemes and their inability to restore public order64, rethinking country assistance strategy. TJ measures such as lustration and vetting laws in Albania during 1995-2001 implemented in exclusive and not transparent way did not allow impartiality and independent institutions to take decision not contributing in democratic reforms and in building civic trust in governmental institutions. LUSTRATION AND VETTING PROCEDURES AFTER 2001 The lustration laws and measures approved and implemented during 1992-2001 were not enough for right wing parties, represented mostly by Democratic Party, which only 7 years later the two lustration laws had expired set and approved another law. On December 2008, when Democratic Party was back in power after gaining the election in June 2005, passed the law “The law on the cleanliness of the Character of High Functionaries of the Public Administration and Elected persons” but the law was declared unconstitutional on 23 March 2010 from Constitutional Court before starting its effect. The law was very similar with the previous lustration laws. The Constitutional Court gave 114 reasons to declare the Law No.10034/2008 “On the cleanliness of the figure of high functionaries of the public administration and elected persons” as incompatible with the Constitution of the Republic of Albania65. In addition, this law received censure from Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. LUSTRATION AND VETTING YEARS 2015-2020 In early 2015, Albanian parliament passed the Law No. 45/2015: “On the right to information on the files of the former state security services during communist times – Sigurimi”. The period subject to this law is 29 November 1944 until 2 July 1991. This is a transparency law more than a lustration/vetting law. This law contains within articles dedicated to lustration/vetting and is only for former officers and collaborators of State Security (Sigurimi). One of the goals of the law is to provide lustration /vetting for candidate in high office, for officials appointed, and elected. The Albanian Authority on Access to Information on the former State Security Service have found thirty persons appear in documents of ish-Sigurim66. The lustration/vetting of candidates concludes in December 2020. Four other laws have integrated lustration/vetting measures within in compliance with Law no.45/2015. The law protects the privacy and identity of the persons named in personal files but allows the victims to see the names of victimizers, to the persons who informed or spied on them. Transparency and access about the Sigurimi files is reached for the first time, despite attempts in earlier years. The Authority through activities and the release of information67 is increasing public awareness about communism regime helping to prevent future violation of human rights. After 2015 in Albania are being implemented 5 TJ measures (Table 1), such as monetary reparation and compensation, apologies from former 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) 2018 “Albania Country Assistance Evaluation 1992-1997” Report from CODE, Document of World Bank, November 2000 Constitutional Court Decision No.9, dated 23.03.2010 Annual Report to Albanian Parliament of the Albanian Authority on Access to Information on the former State Security Service http://autoritetidosjeve.gov.al/