Albania should also continue reforms before expecting the visa-free regime, says Austrian minister
TIRANA, Oct 8 – Albania will likely not be discussed on its candidate status request to the European Union and the government was reminded it should work more to fulfill the road map request for the visa-free regime.
Germany has asked for more time before considering Albania’s candidate status request it applied to Brussels in late April. Europe’s Council is now to wait for the German parliament to consider that request before deciding to look at it, said Albanian private Top Channel television station Thursday. That means a further delay to Albania’s request.
Europe’s Council is to convene later this week and Tirana was expecting to get a ‘yes’ and then receive the thousands of questions it should fulfill along its membership efforts.
Brussels is also to produce its annual progress report later next week and that was likely another reason why Germans and others would like Albania’s case be postponed.
At the same time Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, who was visiting Albania Thursday, said that it would be illogical for Tirana to expect the visa-free regime in January 2010.
Spindelegger said that the country needs to further fulfill the requests set from Brussels on its road map on the visa free regime.
At the same time the Austrian minister urged the government to continue reforms on many aspects linked to that and also called on the opposition to keep in line with the country’s interests and support the required reforms. He was to meet later the opposition leader.
Albania’s opposition has been boycotting the new parliament and on Saturday is to hold a street protest to ask for the investigation of the June 28 elections.
Continuing reforms and political stability are two elements that Europe would ask from Albania.
Tirana and the new government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha continues to insist that the country is to get the visa-free regime within the first year of their second mandate. They are likely expecting the EU to give a ‘yes’ vote when they meet next summer.
Albania was not included with Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to get the visa-free regime starting Jan. 1, 2010.
Berisha has made it clear that European integration is the main priority of its second four-year mandate.
