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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
After three years without a US ambassador to Albania, the candidacy of retired General Eric Wendt enters a decisive phase. His arrival is expected to restore the US diplomatic weight in Albanian politics…
After nearly three years without a full-fledged American ambassador in Tirana, the United States Senate is expected to take another step today towards confirming Eric Wendt as head of the American diplomatic mission in Albania.
The candidacy of the retired lieutenant general, proposed by President Donald Trump, will be reviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in what is considered the last procedural step before the final vote in the Senate.
If his candidacy is approved, Wendt will become the first US ambassador to Tirana after Yuri Kim's departure in June 2023. Since then, the embassy has been run by chargé d'affaires, while subsequent appointments failed to be finalized.
The absence of a full-fledged ambassador for such a long period has been seen by many observers as a period in which direct American diplomatic influence on Albanian politics has been more limited. In this context, the appointment of a figure with a high military profile and experience in NATO structures is seen as a signal that Washington intends to increase its engagement in Albania.
During the hearing on May 20, Wendt emphasized support for SPAK, the fight against corruption, and the crackdown on organized crime. He praised the institution of the Special Prosecution Office as independent and apolitical, promising support for maintaining this status.
According to him, cooperation between SPAK and American law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and the Department of Justice, has yielded concrete results in international investigations against criminal groups.
Wendt's profile sets him apart from most traditional diplomats. He served more than 34 years in the U.S. military, including more than three decades in the Green Beret special forces, and also headed NATO's Special Operations Command. His career includes missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Korea and the Middle East.
Although it remains to be seen what the new ambassador's concrete role will be in relation to political developments in the country, expectations are that the return of a full-fledged American ambassador will bring a more active US presence in issues related to the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and institutional reforms.
For many political actors in Tirana, the arrival of the new ambassador could mark the end of a relatively quiet period in relations with American diplomacy and the return of greater attention from Washington to political and institutional developments in Albania. /Pamphlet
Tri vite kryeministri ynë pa zinxhirë në qafë dhe po la namë me të bërat e të pëgërat e tij brenda e jashtë Shqipëtisë.