Final decision comes on Dec. 17 at meeting of EU foreign ministers. As Albania gains full support in EU’s executive and legislative branches, the Netherlands stands as lone opposition, looking for allies to postpone decision
TIRANA, Dec. 12 – Albania’s bid to become an official candidate for membership in the European Union has gained full support by the bloc’s executive and legislative branches, but the final decision is still up in the air and at the hands of the foreign ministers of each member state. They are scheduled to meet on Dec. 17, and at least one, the Netherlands, has said it wants to postpone the decision. The European Parliament discussed Albania’s progress report this week and approved a resolution Thursday, expressing full support for granting Albania candidate status.
Following the approval of the statement by the parliament’s commission, the European parliamentarians held Wednesday a debate on the country.
In his speech, European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule asked that Albania to be granted the EU candidate status. He said that Albania has made progress and that it deserves to be granted the status.
Fule said the June elections were normal and stressed that there was a smooth transition of power. According to him, the 2013 progress report shows significant progress for the country.
Meanwhile, Nikola Vuljanic, the MEP in charge of reporting on Albania, backed the message of the commissioner on the status, adding that the report on Albania is very positive and that the resolution points out the achievements of Albania.
According to Vuljanic, Albania will be able to overcome its problems with the help of the EU.
The number two MEP of the Socialists and Democrats Group, Libor Roucek said Albania has made extraordinary progress. According to him, political forces must work together and that this country continues to play a constructive role. Eduard Kukan, another prominent parliamentarian covering Albania, repeated the call to the country’s political groupings to join forces in the fight for deep reforms needed there.
Albanian officials lobby the skeptics
Ahead of the decision, Albanian diplomacy has been in an intensive campaign in some western European countries to push them give the oaky for the candidate status to the tiny western Balkan country.
Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati and Integration Minister Klajda Gjoshaj went to the Netherlands, one of the main countries expressing serious doubts whether the status should be grated to Albania.
Both ministers took part at the meeting of the Dutch foreign parliamentary commission explaining why they should be positive on Albania. They introduced the new steps of the Tirana government and also said that there has been significant progress in the country since a year ago, mentioning normal elections and peaceful transfer of power earlier this year.
In another move, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta has been visiting Berlin, Germany and Paris, France to also get their support for the status. These countries too had expressed doubts.
The largest question remains with the Netherlands, with the foreign minister telling the media there that he was willing to go at it alone in opposition of Albania’s bid, but he was also looking for allies.
The Dutch hesitation is part of a wider trend in sections of the political body of richer, northern parts of Europe – including the UK and Germany נbudging at EU enlargement to areas of the continent that are far poorer than them, following admission of Romania and Bulgaria.
To put things in some perspective, the per capita GDP of the Netherlands in 2012 was $46,000, more than ten times that of Albania, at $4,148. EU’s poorest member state, Bulgaria, had a per capita GDP of $6,986 in 2012.
