TIRANA, Sep 8 – The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Tirana, Fiona McIlwham, said they were disillusioned with the problems that came out during the June 28 parliamentary election in the country, now a NATO member and also one looking for EU membership.
Speaking in an interview with Mapo magazine, McIlwham said that they are still waiting the final evaluation report of the ODIHR but still insists they are concerned with the problems encountered. The ambassador noted some irregularities, such as the pre-election problems with the politicization of the state administration and also during the voting day with the tension and political interference, especially in the vote counting.
She said that aspiring for the EU means to achieve the European standards and not in a relative way.
The ambassador also said that the rhythm of the reforms should be sped up so that the country achieves faster its goals toward integration into the bloc.
The ambassador said that Albania has great potential, especially human ones.
She hoped that the new parliament and the government would really support and push ahead the people’s will for positive change.
“There are clear EU criteria for membership. It is up to the aspirant countries to achieve the European standards and not relative standards,” she said.
Reforms in the country would definitely ask for the support of the opposition lawmakers, she said, adding that all the Albanian political parties had made it clear that joining the EU was a main goal for the country, considering it a national inter-party and publicly supported project.
On visa liberalization she said that was closely linked especially with better border management and fight against organized crime rather than the political criteria.
