Berisha offers Albania’s positive view to NATO ambassadors

BRUSSELS, May 24 – Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Thursday at a meeting of the Membership Action Plan at the North Atlantic Council that Euro-Atlantic and EU integration were Albania’s top priorities, also supported by all political parties and more than 94% of Albanians.
Berisha was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ylli Bufi of the Albanian opposition Socialist Party.
“We are well aware of the scope of the common burden, joint responsibilities and cost-sharing within the Alliance,” said Berisha.
The Albanian premier confirmed the country’s strong commitment towards NATO integration, adding that his executive was working hard “to translate this commitment, via deep political, economic, military and social reforms, into concrete actions to fully deserve the invitation at the Bucharest Summit.”
Berisha mentioned Albania’s ‘tangible results’ in all areas.
First, it was the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU last year.
The Parliament voted unanimously to set up a bipartisan ad hoc Committee on NATO integration, to support the related reforms, he said adding that important laws were in Parliament for approval.
Berisha acknowledged, however, that electoral reforms remained a major goal.
In the coming months Albanian citizens would be issued Identity Cards with biometric elements, with digital passes, and work was being done on electronic civil registry.
“All sides have expressed their will for a consensual election of the President of the Republic,” he said reassuring of the respect of the country’s constitution on that.
Berisha acknowledged that the organized crime remained a threat and that it negatively affected the country’s image.
“The government declared a Zero Tolerance platform in its fight against organized crime,” he said, adding that all the largest crime organizations had been dismantled, about 1170 members and leaders of 141 crime organizations had been sent to justice; 745 from them drug traffickers and 58 traffickers of human beings.
“I am pleased to declare before you today that, Albania is not and will no longer be considered a source of human trafficking. Nor is Albania any longer the transit-route of heroine and cocaine trafficking.”
He also said that authorities had made considerable improvement of the border management and offered readiness to sign any bilateral agreement that increased the efficiency in the fight against organized crime and terrorism.
The fight against corruption remained a priority, he said. Thanks to the fight against smuggling and fiscal evasion, tax and customs revenues have gone up to 23 per cent. We are well aware that the fight against corruption is a permanent battle, said Berisha.
The country enjoys full macroeconomic stability. An economic growth of 6 per cent, inflation remained at 2,4 per cent and the budget deficit at 2,6 per cent; foreign investments went up four times in the last two years. Exports this year have increased by 28 per cent, whereas bank crediting of the economy has increased very rapidly. Important measures have been taken for the further enlargement of the private sector as well as for the promotion of business climate. One Stop Shop is our goal.
“As a result of fiscal reforms, on 1 July 2007, Albania will be the country with the lowest fiscal burden in Europe,” eh said, adding that the major state owned enterprises were in the process of privatizations.
“More Balkans in NATO and less NATO in the Balkans will become a reality soon,” he said. Albania will continue its constructive and moderating role in the region, said Berisha, adding that Tirana fully supports President Ahtisaari’s proposal as a long lasting solution for peace and stability in Kosovo.
Returning to the military reforms Berisha said that next year the defense budget would be 2% of the GDP, but “for Albanian armed forces, NATO membership is an ongoing process of transformation and reforms.”
“Our aim is to build a full professional force by the end of 2010, three years earlier that plannedŠWe are moving ahead, smaller in size but fully meeting NATO standards.”
The Armed Forces structure would incorporate operational capabilities recommended by the Riga Summit. Eight percent of the land forces would be deployable at any given time, with 40% ready for NATO-led operations on a rotation basis.
“We will continue our contributions to NATO led peace keeping operations (in Afghanistan, in Iraq and in Bosnia-Herzegovina.) Albania will increase contribution to ISAF by one additional company, which will serve with the Italian contingent in Herat.
“Albania has already expressed the political will to participate in the NATO Response Force pool of forces,” he said.
“Its membership in NATO is a direct fulfillment of its constitutional provisions, which allow Albania to be part of this par excellence system of collective security.”
“We are actively participating in regional cooperation promoting regional security and stability. The Adriatic Charter has become a very dynamic force for regional cooperation.”