Istanbul-Endrit Shabani, in his capacity as President of the Mediterranean People’s Advocates Organization, participated today in the Balkan People’s Advocates Forum in Istanbul. The forum was organized by the Turkish People’s Advocate Institution and opened by the Governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül.

The People’s Advocate of Albania presented the tripartite memorandum already in force between Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia and called for its expansion to the entire Balkans.

Shabani illustrated the problem with the case of an Albanian immigrant whose pension file remained blocked for years between two administrations.

“The money on the phone is gone in a second. The pensioners are gone in a year. Askush is not going to be able to do that until the memorandum is signed, he is going to be able to ask for a divorce,” said Shabani.

“We have many forums to discuss, but few procedures to address common challenges. We don’t need a new structure, we need mechanisms that work within our existing structures,” said the People’s Advocate of Albania.

Shabani proposed to the regional institutions the establishment of a common practice for referring complaints, and a joint annual statement on the state of human rights in the region.