TIRANA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Albania's General Prosecutor Adriatik Llalla and U.S. Ambassador in Tirana Donald Lu on Thursday exchanged accusations with regard to judicial reform in the Balkan country.

Judicial reform is key to Albania's EU membership and the country is about to start a crucial process of evaluating judges and prosecutors.

"We are seeing powerful people trying to keep their control over judges and prosecutors and the general prosecutor is an example. He has over more than 18 months loudly talked against the judicial reform," Lu told reporters here.

Lu also accused Llalla of trying to block the server of the High Inspectorate of Assets Declaration system, which is deemed vital for the vetting process of around 800 judges and prosecutors.

Immediately after Lu's remarks, Llalla sent a letter of complaint to President Bujar Nishani and Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta, accusing the U.S. diplomat of threatening him in totally undiplomatic attacks.

Lu also used blackmail to try to get an investigation into an international company closed, he said in the letter, cited by local media.

The General Prosecutor's Office also held a press conference reaffirming its support to the judicial reform.