Information TechnologyWeekly Solutions Newsletter Nr. V—June 2017

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is committed to combat human trafficking

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dritan Demiraj, was informed with the Overview: findings of the Annual Report of the US Department of State “Trafficking in Persons Report 2017”, which points out that “ does not fully meet the minimum standards for Activities 2 the elimination of trafficking”.

The Albanian Government and the Ministry of Internal Affairs Activities 3 have set the fight against human trafficking at the top list of Activities 4 priorities, through a maximal commitment and response with concrete measures. Minister of Internal Affairs, Dritan Demiraj, is deeply committed to increasing the capabilities of anti-trafficking structures, in the implementation of the Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALBANIA Implement the law that exempts victims from penalties for

unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being subjected to trafficking, particularly sex trafficking victims exploited in prostitution; train police, labor inspectors, and other frontline

officials on proactive identification of victims; continue to vigorously investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers under article 110(a) and 128 (b); establish sustainable funding

mechanisms for mobile units operated by law enforcement and civil society groups to identify victims; increase protection for victims from threats and intimidation during court proceedings by

facilitating participation in the witness protection program and expanding training for prosecutors dealing with victim witnesses; increase funding to NGO-run shelters for trafficking victims and provide funding on a regular basis; improve the capacity of

border and migration police to screen irregular migrants for trafficking indicators; and increase efforts to screen street children for signs of trafficking.

Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES "Support the State Police in Law Enforcement, We encourage all citizens to report any case to Guarantee the Voting and Counting of attempted vote-buying or other Process" intimidation to the State Police Number 112, where the denouncer's anonymity is safe. June 24 — The Minister of Interior called Also, for cases of abuse of office of police on police officers to follow the law, to officers, the free number is 08009090. guarantee the sanctity of the electoral We clarify to all citizens that, due to special process and to protect the Albanian citizens. legal restrictions on the role of State Police The Albanian Minister of Internal Affairs during the Election Day, they may officially Dritan Demiraj states that the collaboration denounce at the emergency number 112, so between Police and Prosecutor Office in that the State Police will act to put abusers crime-solving has been very good, and both before the law. institutions have invited citizens to report We also call upon the members of the every single attempt to manipulate the Central Election Commission (KQZ) to inform elections. on each case of irregularities the Zonal The Albanian Minister of Internal Affairs Elections Administration Commission (KZAZ), stated that the recent agreement Rama- which is the legal authority that should notify Basha has positively influenced for a more the State Police to restore normality to the peaceful campaign, and on their behalf Voting Centers. police forces have taken all the necessary Minister of Internal Affairs Dritan Demiraj measures to guarantee a normal election guarantees all citizens that every single process. electoral crime will be strictly punished according to law. Mr. Demiraj: We encourage all citizens to Demiraj meets political subjects in and report any case of attempted vote-buying , for the peaceful running of the process The Ministry of Internal Affairs reports an increase of denunciations for suspected Minister of Internal Affairs Dritan Demiraj cases of the offense of vote-buying and held a meeting with electoral subjects of voters intimidation. “Special groups Socialist Party (PS), Social Movement for established at the Ministry of Interior Affairs Integration (LSI) and Democratic Party (PD) in and State Police have received hundreds of Berat and Elbasan County. denunciations, which shows a growing Mr. Demiraj met the political parties’ phenomenon of vote-buying attempts. coordinators to hear allegations about the Under these conditions, the Ministry of electoral process. He also instructed the Internal Affairs calls upon all citizens not to Directors of the Local Police Department of fall prey to persons who commit this criminal to take measures to prevent cases of vote- offense, which is punishable by law. buying.

Nr V, June 2017 2 Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES Voting Process — 72 Police Interventions in criminal offenses are being investigated by Polling Stations police. "Seven persons were arrested, while police is investigating on 44 different criminal offenses. State Police managed the process observing more than 2000 voting centers," said Cako.

Albania and Italy to sign Memorandum on Joint Police Patrols during tourist season June 26 — State Police reported on Monday that a total of 72 interventions by the police Director-General of the State Police Haki officers in the polling stations were Çako received a delegation of Italian Police registered during the voting process one day headed by Italian Deputy General Director of ago. According the State Police these State Police also Director of the Criminal interventions were based on the requests of Police Central Directorate Antonino Cufalo, the commissioners. Italian Police International Cooperation The police effectives were present in Service SCIP Colonel Carlo Verdiglione, proximity of every polling station in the Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Air Forces entire territory accompanying the ballot of Guardia di Finanza Colonel Joselito boxes to the counting centers when the Minuto. voting process ended. The meeting focused on implementation of No incidents were registered during the Operational Protocol on Flights that has ballot boxes transportation, expect for an entered into force since May 15, 2017. isolated episode in Vlora where the “It’s crystal clear that the great relations commissioners involved in a debate. The between Albania Police and Italian Police immediate intervention of the police have already got consolidated”, said Çako. resolved the conflict preventing situation On his part, Cufalo highlighted the escalation. willingness, seriousness, reliability and professionalism of the Albanian side owing Police Analysis — 7 Arrested on the Election to which there is established a great Day cooperation between the two Police forces. He added that the Italian side is looking June 27 - General Director of State Police, forward to signing Memorandum of Haki Cako, made public on Tuesday the Cooperation on Joint Police Patrols during work of the police officers on the elections the tourist season. day. He underlined the fact that fortunately Attending the event was Italy’s ambassador the process was not accompanied with to Albania Alberto Cutillo and other guests. incidents. But Cako said that some 44

Nr V, June 2017 3 Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES One-Month Analysis, Demiraj Presents Anti- The minister presented also some figures Cannabis Results related to the cannabis quantities seized during a period of time between May 22 and June 22. “5,659 tons of Cannabis Sativa have been seized, 8479 Cannabis saplings have been destroyed, 80 doses of Heroine have been seized, 47 people have been arrested, 23 people have been declared wanted, 10 people are being currently inquired, 8 speedboats have been seized while every angle of the national territory has become subject to air-inspections during this period,” stated the Minister. Minister of Internal Affairs Dritan Demiraj praised the results of State Police in the daily and uncompromising fight against the June 22 – The Minister of Interior Affairs, cultivation and trafficking of narcotics. Dritan Demiraj made an analysis on his first Deputy Interior Minister Rovena Voda, who month in this position. Through a brief heads the Central Task Force in the illustrative speech Demiraj emphasized the framework of the National Plan Against support for the honest police officers and Cannabis Cultivation, expressed gratitude for the determination to clean police ranks from the valuable work in this regard and called law’s violators. for a comprehensive engagement. He also underlined that the State Police remains maximally committed in the fight against cannabis cultivation. “The fight against cannabis cultivation and the use of drugs money for electoral purposes continues successfully. The Ministry of Interior Affairs and the State Police are totally inclined toward law enforcement in accordance to the constitutional mission. I strongly support the work of the honest police officers while being more determined than ever to expel from the police ranks the law’s violators,” declared Demiraj.

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