On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Venice Commission and the 30th anniversary of Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe, the jubilee conference “30 Years of Albania, the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission” was held in Tirana, with the participation of senior representatives of the government, judiciary, independent institutions, and international partners.

Prime Minister Edi Rama praised the Commission as an indispensable partner for Albania on its path toward European integration, extending special gratitude to its ex-President, Gianni Buquicchio, for his outstanding contribution over the years.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Address

Greetings to all!
Thank you very much for your presence and for the organization of this conference, dedicated to an institution that has consistently accompanied Albania’s efforts to democratize and to transform itself from a country emerging from dictatorship into one aspiring to sit at the table of the European Union.

Symbolically, one could say that the Venice Commission and Albanian democracy are “maternity twins.” They were both born in the same year—1990. The Venice Commission as a child of a reunified Europe, built on the values of freedom and the aspiration to unify under the principles of democracy; and Albanian democracy as a long-dreamed dream that finally found its own path.

The history of democratic development in Albania is closely tied to the history of the growth and strengthening influence of the Venice Commission in processes where countries like Albania have continually needed help, the wisdom of guidance, and the support of an assistant—not a judge, but a generous and impartial assistant for every country seeking the highest democratic standards.

Today, the Venice Commission’s record includes, among many things, its invaluable contribution to Albania’s first democratic Constitution of 1998. It also includes a series of crucial interventions in key processes where its opinions have played a decisive role in shaping the outcome. Without question, however, the Commission has two particularly historic contributions to Albania’s recent democratic development: its contributions to the Electoral Code, which significantly strengthened democratic standards, and its historic role in supporting the most profound and difficult reform Albania has ever undertaken—the justice reform. In that process, the Commission was an inseparable companion, a measured guide, and an authority that helped us keep our compass steady and stay oriented in the right direction throughout.

Without the Venice Commission and its contribution, it would have been impossible for Albania to undertake the vetting process—a cornerstone of justice reform. I can state openly today that nowhere else has such a process been carried out in the same depth. At the time, even within international professional circles, there were not few objections; but the Venice Commission has gained the authority to impose itself and to be respected at every level, and I can personally testify that its opinions are fully respected internationally in all matters related to the rule of law and reform processes.

Today we are not only celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Venice Commission here in Albania, but also another anniversary, coinciding meaningfully with it: the 30th anniversary of Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe. These two milestones hold a very special place in our democratic history. It would be enough to imagine, even for a moment, Albania’s path of the past 35 years without the Venice Commission and without the Council of Europe, to understand the depth of their importance for Albania’s democratic progress.

I do not wish to take more time. Many of you here are bound by profession, study, or by your interest in the complexities of the rule of law, and you rightfully deserve the space and time to discuss. I would like to close by emphasizing that the Venice Commission is an irreplaceable partner—irreplaceable of Albania. It will continue to be a point of reference for us, to better understand what we must do in every moment of reform and change when dilemmas inevitably arise.

And allow me to return to where I began, with a special word of gratitude to Gianni Buquicchio—for the extraordinary patience you have shown. Patience that takes on a heroic quality when one considers that you are Italian, and that even as an Italian, known not to belong to people famous for patience, you have shown exceptional perseverance in dealing with us Albanians.

For that patience, Gianni, and for all your efforts to “sail the waves of Albanian politics,” to find balance between extremes, and to listen to countless opposing views, I am deeply grateful. And although Albania may never dedicate a monument to you—since our relationship with monuments is not always long-lived—you deserve a monument in the memory of all those who, over these years, have worked with the Venice Commission.

Thank you very much!