US Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim appealed to Albanian voters not to sell their votes, which is their power. Kim was speaking in the TV show “Përballë” on the Albanian public television, where she added the citizens must match what they say they want with what they actually do.

Extracts from the interview with host Lutfi Dervishi:

Lutfi Dervishi: Less than two weeks from voting day, what are your major concerns regarding the elections?

Ambassador Kim: I have hopes, but also concerns as you note. I think this is a very important election that is coming up. After 30 years of democracy, we are at a turning point and I think that the Albanian people have an opportunity here as they do every election to decide which direction they go in. So, this is why I have been telling voters it doesn’t matter who you vote for but it matters that you vote and that your vote is genuine. You have to decide your future.

Lutfi Dervishi: So when you meet political leaders in the districts, as it was the case in Elbasan or any other city, what do they tell you?

Ambassador Kim: I think they tell me that the election is important to them. That they are working hard. And then they tell me about the concerns that they have about the other side and I tell them they should worry about themselves first and then let the experts worry about everybody else. My sense is that people took seriously, and when I say people I mean the political parties, took into consideration the advice that we have been giving on the importance of having clean candidates and so frankly, the most obvious criminals were not included but are there names of concern? Yes there are.

Lutfi Dervishi: Can we name them?

Ambassador Kim: Well, Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Palmer was here virtually last week and made clear that there are names of concern. They know who they are. The party leaders know who they are. We’ve expressed those views. Ultimately, there’s a process here. The Central Election Commission has to take a look. They have now referred 30 names to prosecutors for additional information and depending on what ultimately appears on the ballot, then voters have the opportunity this time because it’s an open list to decide who should represent them. You asked about names. The United States has been clear about three names. We don’t do this lightly; this takes years of research; some of the information is available and everybody knows it; some of the information is classified so I’m not at liberty to discuss, but I can say that it’s very serious and the Secretary of State does not sign his or her name to these designations easily.

Lutfi Dervishi: When you talk about the names, and the information which is available, the question is: Is this information – and that’s a rhetorical question – available to the prosecutors or to the SPAK or any law enforcement officer?

Ambassador Kim: I think the information is widely available.

Lutfi Dervishi: What is lacking?

Ambassador Kim: I think what is lacking is – I’ll be honest – what’s lacking is courage. And I think that we have seen instances of courage now emerging. I think we need to see more. I’m confident that America’s investment in justice reform, in SPAK, is going to be worth it but this is a difficult moment. As I often say, justice reform is not quick, easy, or perfect but we are beginning to see some results. SPAK has issued their first annual report and in it, they report that they have so far made 588 persecutions, they have confiscated over 70 million-euro worth of illegal goods and possessions. They have investigated 746 individuals. They have sent many of those to trial and of those 114 so far had been convicted.

Lutfi Dervishi: We go back to justice reform and results. I just want to spend a couple of minutes more on the elections. Albania has one of the most severe decriminalization laws, but there are opinions and attempts, including MPs from this legislature, that the law should be amended to include people who served jail terms in countries like Switzerland, Kosovo, not to mention the U.S. blacklist.

Ambassador Kim: There are a lot of loopholes and I think that Albanian voters are smart. They know who is doing what. To the extent that you ask for the help of the United States, we have given you a very clear indication of who should not be in parliament, who should not be representing you. This person is somebody that is barred from the United States of America, from the entire country, by the Secretary of State, for significant corruption, so I think that outweighs any dyqan bill that he has paid, any hospital bill that he has paid. It doesn’t mean he’s a good guy because he came to your daughter’s wedding. The man does not belong in parliament. Okay? So, I think voters need to think about this. They have to wonder, you know, when criminals and others come to them to buy their votes… Why do I call them criminals? Because the act of attempting to buy votes is a crime. So, you are a criminal. If you are trying to buy a vote, you are a criminal. For voters, they have to decide, Am I going to sell my power? Am I going to sell my dignity? Am I going to sell my children’s future? I think the answer should be: No. If someone done nothing for you besides doing terrible things, stealing from the public for four years or however many years and then right before the election they show up and they pay your bills or they give you a used iPhone, you know, you’re worth more than that! Albania is worth more than that. Albania’s children are worth more than that, so this is a real moment. Don’t take it lightly; don’t sell your vote; don’t try to buy a vote and if you buy a vote, then you should go to jail and I hope that prosecutors around the country will take their duties seriously. I know that there are lots of complaints from the last election that people who clearly committed crimes were not prosecuted. I don’t think that should happen this time. This is a situation where I think people are right to be angry; they are right to be unhappy; and they’re right to demand justice and some accountability here.

Lutfi Dervishi: What you mentioned is that we have persons who clearly do no good to the name of Albania of being in parliament. And if we talk about a triangle, that we have a timid institutions or prosecutors, political leaders who don’t have the courage, and it seems that you last best hope is the Albanian voters?

Ambassador Kim: Albanian voters are the first-best hope. This is the basis of any democracy, the voters. And so I think that people have been brainwashed into believing that they are powerless. The fact that someone is trying to buy your vote should be an indication to you that you are not powerless. That’s your power. Your vote is your power. Albanian people around the country, when I meet them, they tell me that they are sick and tired of corruption; they are sick and tired of impunity; they are sick and tired of criminals who are sitting in Parliament. Well, this is your moment. You show me through your actions, you show yourself through your actions that you mean it. It can’t be the case that you ask me my opinion as the United States, I give it to you, and then you keep doing the same thing. If you want change, vote for change. If you want criminals, vote for criminals. But you have to match what you say you want with what you actually do. And April 25 is the moment.

Lutfi Dervishi: What are your expectations about the role of the media during this election campaign campaign till April 25, including voting day?

Ambassador Kim: Media is extremely important. Reporters are extremely important. They have to do their job with professionalism, integrity, and with ethics. I’m very well aware that various news outlets here in Albania are affiliated with one side or another. I think that reporters have the responsibility to try to present the facts to the best of their ability. What that also means is that you don’t just agree with somebody because they’re from the party you like. You have to keep asking the tough questions. I’ve said this in other interviews as well, I have respect for reporters who ask me tough questions. if I’ve said something ridiculous, you should challenge me. If I’ve said something that’s not clear, you should force me to clarify it’s my job to answer and I think it’s the job of reported to demand answers on the half of the people.

Lutfi Dervishi: WIll the U.S. act as a referee if there are disputes about the election?

Ambassador Kim: I think that’s the wrong way to think about it. I think that’s not our role. If you are saying, do we care what happens? Yes, we care. Do we have a preferred candidate for winning? No, we don’t. That’s not the position of the United States. What we care about is institutions and processes. And so, that’s why I don’t talk about this candidate or that candidate, this party or that party, what I talk about is the importance and critical importance of making sure that the rules and the process are fair, they’re transparent, that the playing field is even, and that the rules are implemented in a way that is timely as well, so everybody has a fair shot. That’s what we are interested in.

Lutfi Dervishi: You said, ‘we reiterate that we will hold leaders to account. We’ll take appropriate actions in response to those who accept or promote violence, accept or promote violation of electoral laws and international standards, and attempt to otherwise undermine the integrity of and the confidence in the electoral process and its results. Do you have a plan in place?

Ambassador Kim: I think we have many options. I don’t discuss those in public. But, I think that people understand that for the United States, this is serious business and I think President Biden and Secretary Blinken have made very very clear the centrality of the rule of law, fighting corruption, and strengthening democracy around the world. And we don’t do it because we think it’s nice to do; it’s not charity work. We do it because it’s in the national interests of the United States to have allies that are strong, capable, and prosperous. We want to make sure that Albania as a NATO Ally is the strongest that it can be because we believe in you in the same way that you believe in us and so that’s what I think about this year as we consider the 30th anniversary, but also as we had towards the election. It’s a time to decide what kind of country Albania is going to be.

Lutfi Dervishi: Madam Ambassador, when we talk about justice reform, you have said that demand for perfection is a way to prevent progress. Can you explain a little bit what you mean and how that phrase is related with justice reform?

Ambassador Kim: We have a saying in America, “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” and what we mean by that is that sometimes, when you demand perfection, you know, it’s a way to delay something from moving forward. You know, if you’re building a house, it’s to say that you have to destroy it because the curtains are too short. So, the demand for perfection can sometimes get in the way. On justice reform, I tell people over and over, don’t pay attention to the propaganda. The demand for perfection is propaganda, right? Pay attention to the facts. What is different today from when the country was, where the justice system was a year ago, 2 years ago, 3 years ago and then chart your way forward based on that progress. Earlier in the show, I had mentioned to you the number of prosecutions, the amount of assets that are being taken away, the number of people for being put in jail. Those numbers are going to increase little by little and the type of individuals that are going to be held accountable is going to change also, little by little. Again, it’s not quick, easy, or perfect, but we’re definitely seeing progress and I think people should not lose sight of the progress or the end goal and they should continue to demand more. Don’t give up, this is not the moment to give up.

Lutfi Dervishi: I will quote the State Department annual report, “Prosecution and especially conviction of officials who commit abuses was sporadic and inconsistent. Officials, politicians, judges, and persons with powerful business interests often were able to avoid prosecution.” My question is, “Do you see signs that the days of impunity are over?”

Ambassador Kim: I think that there have been some very important prosecutions announced by SPAK. These began last summer and we’re watching these very carefully and I think that will give a good indication as to what will happen in the future.

Lutfi Dervishi: Let me move to another thing, very interesting that you’ve said when it comes to the EU. For the EU, it’s not about what you gain, but more about the things that have to be done, you have to do. So, the advice is that we have to do our part in making sure that democracy will flourish and that justice reform will take strong roots, but then the question is: Is the Albanian model of justice reform to be recommended for other countries who suffer from weak and corrupt judiciary?

Ambassador Kim: I think that every country is different so you have to take into consideration the specific situation from place to place. You know, I’ll go back to something that you said, not just justice reform, but democracy in general and investment, about what is to be gained and what is required to be given. Democracy and the future of Albania, it’s not going to be a situation where somebody builds you a house and you just move in. This is a massive, difficult project. You and I, and when I say “you,” I mean the Albanian people and when I say “I,” I mean the United States, and all your other friends around the world, including the EU. This is a project that we undertake together and we have to lay the bricks down together, brick by brick, and build the house and then you get to live in it and I think that there will be profound satisfaction and a profound sense of achievement from having done that. This is not a project that will be given to you. It is a project that you will have to build and we’ll help you.

Lutfi Dervishi: I hate hypothetical questions, but I’ll allow myself one. Five years from now, what would you say about the justice reform in Albania?

Ambassador Kim: I hope that 5 years from now will be able to look back and say, that was a good start and now look at how much progress we’ve made. I hope that having judges in your system who take bribes becomes completely unacceptable, not only morally, but in terms of the law. I hope that there will be a new generation of prosecutors, judges, and lawyers, and citizens who insist on a higher standard for Albania. When people say that Albania has always been corrupt, or Albanians are like this or Albanians are like that, I think it’s a lot of nonsense, and it’s designed to kill hope. And, as I say, hope is a weapon, hope is a tool and it’s not something that you should let others kill so easily. So, look to the facts, think about your future, think about your children, go to the polls on April 25 and vote on that basis, whether you want somebody of a record that is shameful to be representing you and collecting your tax dollars as a member of parliament. If I were an Albanian citizen, I would not accept that. The United States is always honored to be able to help our friend and we’ll always be here but this is your part now, you also have to decide. You’ve asked for our opinion, we’ve given it. We hope you listen.