FYI: Using Open Data against Corruption. The Albanian Constitutional Court removes an MP mandate.

[Valentina Dimulescu]

-------- Original Message -------- 

FROM: Albanian Institute of Science Information Office 

SENT: Monday, May 9, 2016 5:03 PM 
TO: Aranita Brahaj 
SUBJECT: Using Open Data against Corruption. The Albanian Constitutional
Court removes an MP mandate. 

Dear Sir or Madame, 

It is 2014 the first time that a civil society project in Albania
provided the public with detailed information about every transaction of
the State Treasure, including the transaction date, purpose, number of
invoice, and the beneficiary. Through its _OPEN SPENDING ALBANIA [1]
_portal, the _TREASURY TRANSACTIONS_, the Albanian citizens had the
opportunity to understand how taxpayers' money is spent (Where does my
Money Go). In August 2014, the public was informed through the open data
provided by the Treasury Transactions about several payments made by
several state institutions to ABISSNET [2], a private company owned (on
the date of transactions and contracts involving payments) by Koço
Kokëdhima, and MP of the ruling majority. The transaction tables
appeared on the front page of newspapers like Tema [3], RD [4] , Ora
News [5], Gazeta Shqiptarja [6], ABC, etc. [7] They also became part of
statuses on Facebook [8] and Twitter of people, who have a significant
role in the public debate, and finally caused some reaction by the media
and by the opposition parliamentary group of the Democratic Party. 

A group of Members Parliamentary addressed the Constitutional Court
asking for the removal abrogate of the mandate of MP Koço Kokëdhima
referring to Article 70, point 3 and 4 of the Constitution. This article
of the Constitution bans MPs from exercising economic and profitable
activities using public money. The request of the opposition
parliamentary group was also based on Articles 7 and 13 of the _Rules of
Procedure of the Assembly_, and Article 28 of Law No. 9367, dated 7. 04.
2005, _On prevention of conflict of interest in exercising public
functions_. The motion and lawsuit submitted by the MPs to the
Constitutional Court were also accompanied by evidence, including tables
and databases from our portal _Spending Data Albania_ (page 2 and 3
under the title 'Facts and Circumstances'). 

Following several meetings of the Assembly Committee for Review of
Mandates and a long court process initiated by MPs of the Opposition
Parliamentary Group, today, on 9 May 2016, the Constitutional Court
found the mandate of MP Koço Kokëdhima incompatible (with his activity),
and decided to remove abrogate his mandate. 

Since 2014, there have been dozens of media articles and declaration
based on the open data provided by Treasury Transactions under the Open
Spending Albania portal. This is a typical good example of how #OpenData
and #OpenKnowledge can be used to control conflict of interest,
nepotism, distribution of public money, abuse, corruption, etc. 

 The Albanian Institute of Science (AIS [9]), a non-governmental
Albanian organization continues to open data about the Treasury
Transactions, Public Contracts and Tenders, Public Budget, Assets of
High-Level Officials and Judges, Electoral Spending, etc., with the
objective being increased transparency and civic monitoring through the
opening of public data. Our projects, Money, Governance and Politics MGP
[10], and Open Procurement [11], continue to build instruments for
empowering citizens through information, transparency and civic
monitoring by opening publican governmental data. 

Best regard

 -- 

ALBANIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AIS 
_ _ 
_Contact Person:_ 
_Aranita BRAHAJ_ 
_Executive Directo__r_ 

_Tel 00 355(0)682001718 [12]_ 

_Email: aranita.brahaj la ais.al _ 

ADDRESS: 

_Rruga "Asim Vokshi"_ 

_Pallati 13 / 25. Kati 3_ 
_Tiranë._ 
_ _ 
_Web: http://ais.al [13]_ 

 

Links:
------
[1] http://www.spending.data.al/sq/
[2]
http://www.spending.data.al/sq/treasury/list/faqe/1/year/2014/perf_id/ABISSNET
[3]
http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1230/SHENIM/-Kokedhima-te-sqaroje-Gjykaten-Kushtetuese.-Ne-jemi-te-qarte-se-kush-eshte!
[4]
http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1225/Koco-si-Beqja-i-iken-mandati-i-deputetit
[5]
http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1233/Berisha-176-institucione-detyrohen-nga-Rama-te-marrin-internet-nga-Koco
[6]
http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1240/Dokumenti-qe-i-heq-mandatin-e-deputetit-Koco-Kokedhimes
[7]
http://ais.al/new/en/spending-data-albania-sheds-light-on-cases-of-conflict-of-interest/
[8]
http://www.open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1222/Aplikacioni-Monitoro-Thesarin-si-pjese-e-open-spending-Albanian-ndihmon-opoziten-te-zbardhe-perfitues-privat-ne-konflikt-interesit
[9] http://ais.al/new/en/
[10] http://ais.al/new/money-government-politics-post/
[11] http://ais.al/new/prokurime-publike-te-bashkive-open-lgp-2/
[12] tel:00%20355%280%29682001718
[13] http://ais.al
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