“Albania has never seen such high-level officials being declared guilty with final decisions. This is a critical time for the justice reform. Criminals are feeling the pressure.”

This is what US ambassador Yuri Kim said during her meeting with the judges of the Special First Instance Court.

In addition, she also said that since the judiciary is in action, in the meantime judges must resist even more pressure that may come from criminals.

“This means that their efforts will be even more intense and you must resist. The United States of America and the Albanian people do not want the court to return back to the old ways. Let’s make sure that those times remain in the past, once and for all”, said Kim.

The US ambassador also congratulated judges on their hard work and dedication.

The meeting lasted about an hour and took place at the Special Prosecution Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK).

This is the first official meeting that the ambassador has held with the judges appointed at this structure.

A few days ago, through a post on social media, Ambassador Kim stated that she is aware of some attempts to lure or intimidate judges and prosecutors.