Albanians ready to join EU

TIRANA, Feb. 24 – Another polls showed that most Albanians were in favor of their country joining the European Union.
A survey conducted by Gallup International showed that a total of 83% of Albanians are in favour of the Balkan country eventually joining the European Union.
The poll’s findings were presented at a workshop on Albanians’ perceptions of European integration by Robert Manchin, director of Gallup Europe.
The survey is part of a project named the Gallup Balkan Monitor, financed by The European Fund for the Balkans (www.balkanfund.org).
Albania is compiling the answesr to a list of some 2,300 questions asked by the European union along its request for candidates status.
Albania is also expecting the EU to give the go-eahead this summer to the visa-free regime for the tiny Balkan country.
Following the EU executive Commission’s evaluation of progress of the Western Balkans towards European integration, the monitor on public opinion in the region offers insights into the public’s views of the EU and topics including standard of living, trust in political parties, courts, and the battle against corruption and organized crime.
Albanians believe that their country would be welcomed by the EU as a new member state and that the bloc is considered to be having a strong impact. That seems the reason why the majority of Albanians trust EU institutions and 83% believe that EU membership would be good for Albania.
Bribery towards government officials and civil servants was seen as being by far the highest in the region with one-third of respondents having to pay a bribe in the year prior to the survey. Only 29% believed that the government was doing everything it could to fight organised crime.
Albanians seemed to be the most mobile of the region’s people with over two-fifths of respondents stating that they had a family member working or studying abroad. Over one-third of Albanians said they wanted to move away from the country.
Founded in 1947, Gallup International (www.gallup-international.com) gave its name to the gallup poll. The Switzerland-based Gallup International Association has research capabilities in almost 100 countries around the world.