The EU Delegation to Albania has reacted to the accusations of the Alliance for the Protection of the Theatre regarding Ambassador Soreca.

The EU clarifies that the statements are based on slander, after Soreca on June 16 met with the President of the Constitutional Court, Vitore Tusha, but there was no discussion on the issue of the National Theatre.

The EU Delegation also confirms that Soreca continues to support the independence of judicial institutions.

This Wednesday, the Alliance for the Protection of the Theatre accused Soreca of influencing the Constitutional Court to favour the decision for the Theatre, the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj. They even warned that they would demand the non-grata announcement of the ambassador.

“The European Union Delegation to Albania strongly refutes this Wednesday’s defamatory statements by a representative of the Alliance for the Protection of the National Theatre towards EU Ambassador Luigi Soreca.

The EU Delegation to Albania confirms that Ambassador Soreca had met the Chair of the Constitutional Court, Mrs Vitore Tusha in the morning of 16 June 2021. The meeting was part of a series of appointments that the Ambassador is having in the course of the last days with all Chairs of the justice institutions to discuss the state of implementation of justice reform in Albania. In the course of the meeting there was no discussion whatsoever about the open case in front of the Court concerning the National Theatre.

The EU Delegation to Albania and Ambassador Soreca continue to strongly and systemically support the independence of all Albanian judicial institutions.

The EU Delegation reserves every right to take legal action against the defamatory statements made to the media,” it is written in the statement.