19 Mar Second EITI International Validation Process in Albania
On March 18, 2019, the Second EITI International Validation Process commenced and a meeting was held with the representatives of the Validation Mission, Mr. Alex Gordy – Director of Validation and Mr. Hugo Paret – Officer and Technical Expert at the International EITI Secretariat in Oslo, in the office of the National EITI Secretariat.
During the meeting, representatives of the International Validation Mission discussed the themes that focused on:
Concrete engagement and progress made by MSG-EITI in response to the Corrective Actions of the Validation Process completed in 2017 (where Albania was Classified with Significant Progress in EITI Activity); Active and substantial inclusion of Civil Society as part of MSG – EITI, as well as activities in the function of promotion and monitoring of Transparency; Transparency of the official publication of the Licensing, Contracts and Agreements in the Mining, Petroleum and Electro-Energy sectors; Transparency of current Policies and Government Engagement in Natural Resource Management and Extractive Industries; Publication of Financial Data, Contracts and Transactions carried out by Albpetrol sha; The level of accuracy and use of data presented by the Independent Administrator in the Annual EITI Reports; Implementing Improvements in the Legal Framework related to Transparency in Extractive Industries and Publication of Beneficial Owners (BO); Distribution of Royalty revenue by Local Government Units and Expenditures of Social character; The impact of EITI activity on the state budget, local communities and the Environment.
The Validation Mission conducted in the premises of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy meetings with the Head of MSG and MSG members, and in this context, will also conduct in Tirana meetings with representatives of central Institutions, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, representatives of Local Government; Foreign Investors Association in Albania, NANR, Albpetrol sha, representatives of Donors and International Partners, as well as representatives of foreign embassies accredited in Albania.