Albania urged to do more to meet EU integration targets

TIRANA, July 23 – The European Union hails the real efforts of the Albanian political groups in the country’s reforms and also urge a sustainable dialogue among them in the integration process.
Those words were mentioned earlier this week from the EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele and the Danish representative Minister Wammen at the end of the Danish presidency of the bloc.
They said that following the political agreement between government and opposition reached in November 2011, real efforts have been made in 2012 by both political sides to take reforms forward. Further progress will depend to a large extent on the stability and sustainability of the dialogue between political forces and also on Albania delivering concrete and tangible results in addressing important European Union-related reforms, known as the 12 key priorities.
They repeated that the foundations have been laid so that the EU can continue to enlarge and as it deepens its own internal integration, it will be the stronger for it.
But everything depends on the individual countries trying to become new members.
Albania applied for the EU candidate status in 2009. Since then it has been turned down twice mainly due to the political fight that has hampered the tiny western Balkan country indulge better in the reforms required from the EU.
Though there seems to be not so much time to complete the 12 recommendations until October (or better say until September when the EU experts finish the work on the annual progress report) there is still hope that Albania may get the candidate status this year, when it also celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence.
Everything depends on the country’s politicians. Whatever happens is because of them. And if the country again fails to get the candidate status it would be useless for common Albanians to listen to shameful blames made from the political parties and their leaders against each other.