Political deadlock hurting Tirana’s hopes of joining bloc

TIRANA, March 21 – A senior European Union official last week warned Albania the country’s political crisis could hurt its EU membership bid.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele on Friday urged Albanian political leaders to swiftly resolve the stalemate.
Albanian opposition Socialists say they will resume a campaign of street protests unless parliament investigates voting fraud allegations in the general election last June and order a partial recount if required.
Conservative Prime Minister Sali Berisha has ruled out a recount.
Albania has applied for EU candidate status and joined NATO last year.
“If the current political stalemate were to persist and remain unresolved, the integration process could slow down,” said Fuele.
Albania’s ruling Democratic party led by Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the opposition Socialists led by Edi Rama are still locked in a vicious quarrel over last year’s general elections.
The opposition accused the Democrats of manipulating ballot counting and threatened to stage more street protests if its demand for a partial ballot recount is not met. Berisha denied the allegations and ruled out ballots recounting.
Before setting foot in Albania Fuele had issued a statement calling on Albanian political leaders to work together so that Albania can fully embark on the reforms necessary for the EU.
“In the interest of their country and European integration perspective, Albanian political leaders should now deal with this challenge in a constructive manner and under the European Union spirit,” Fuele said in the statement.
For his stop in Tirana, his first since taking the post, he aimed at calling on all political leaders to work together so that Albania can fully embark in the reforms necessary for its European aspiration.
“A fully functioning parliament is essential to a fully functioning democracy. If the current political stalemate were to persist, it could well prevent Albania from reaching the political standards expected from a country that has applied for EU membership. Parliament is a place for dialogue and for the resolution of differences. Parliamentary boycotts have no place in democratic politics as practiced in the EU. The way ahead should be marked by two fundamental democratic principles: the respect for the constitution and transparency. In the interest of their country and its EU integration perspective, Albania’s political leaders now need to address this challenge constructively in the EU spirit,” said Fuele.
It was also noted that Fuele held a longer than planned meeting with Prime Minister Sali Berisha, though he only read the following statement in his news conference together with Berisha.