Basha Says Albania Ahead In NATO, EU Integration

TIRANA, July 1 – Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha held a hearing at the parliamentary foreign policy commission to review the government’s work regarding the membership efforts to join NATO and the visa liberalization sought with the European Union.
NATO and EU membership are the country’s two top priorities, according to the minister, adding that NATO integration is closely linked with EU membership.
Albania received its NATO membership invitation in April and expects to sign the formal membership protocol later this month, a step that will likely advance the country towards becoming a full member next year.
The minister further said critical diplomatic breakthroughs were achieved only after progress was made in the fight against organized crime and corruption, reforms in the justice system continued and electoral reform and other programs began, adding that the joint work of all political parties would provide the final push to such efforts.
The minister also said he hoped Albanians would soon have free visas to enter European countries, though he did not announce the timing of such changes.
The country has also had a speeding of visa procedures this year and hopes to begin talks on the lifting of visa procedures in the near future.
Such a dialogue formally started in March when then European commissioner, Franco Frattini, now Italian Foreign Minister, came to Tirana to hand over the roadmap the country should be adopting in its efforts to become integrated into Europe.
Albanian authorities have already begun the process of issuing identity cards and next year will issue biometric passports. These have become a precondition by the international community for further efforts in the visa liberalization procedures.