Commission launches dialogue with Albania on visa liberalization

TIRANA, March 10 – European Commission Vice President Franco Frattini, in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, has launched a dialogue on visa liberalization with Albanian officials in Tirana.
The aim of the dialogue is to give clear indications to Albanian authorities on the measures that need to be taken before visa free travel could be granted to all Albanian citizens.
“This is a tangible and concrete proof of the EU’s commitment to Albania’s European future”, said Frattini.
Since 1 January 2008, Albanian citizens enjoy the benefits of a visa facilitation agreement with the European Union. This agreement provides for easier access to visas for a broad range of categories of Albanian citizens including students, sportsmen and women, cultural workers, journalists, people visiting family members living in the EU, people in need of medical treatment, and economic operators working with EU companies.
The Slovenian EU Presidency and the European Commission have taken the next step and opened a dialogue with Albanian authorities which should eventually lead to visa-free travel for all Albanian citizens following Brussels’ appraisal of its reforms.
Frattini asked Tirana to speed up reforms and said he was optimistic the country would soon meet the required standards.
Frattini praised Tirana saying it had “in place a good progress of reforms” and Brussels was happy with Albania’s strong political commitment.
“When Albania will get the visa regime will depend on results,” he said, adding that implementation of the readmission agreement on illegal immigrants and that of the visa facilitation, the security of documents and the civil status register, and the continuation of the fight against organized crime were the main points of discussion.
“On all these three steps I have to say Albania is well on track,” said Frattini.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said the country had begun an international tender on issuing identity cards and biometric passports and would continue the zero tolerance fight against organized crime and corruption.
Berisha assured Frattini that Tirana would do its part with proper documentation so that Albanians soon became part of the larger European family.
Two years ago, Albania signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement pre-membership deal, which is considered a first step towards membership.
The Council of the European Union on 28 January 2008 welcomed the intention of the European Commission to launch a visa liberalization dialogue with all Western Balkan countries and expressed its readiness to further discuss this issue.
The entire process will be based on detailed roadmaps setting clear benchmarks to be met by each of the countries in the region in order to gradually advance towards visa liberalization, a process that will be closely monitored by the EC.
“I hope that the “tailor made” road-map will allow your country to focus its efforts and initiatives on the implementation of the necessary reforms to address the EU’s requirements,” said Frattini.
Frattini said that he was closely following “the initiatives taken by your authorities for ensuring the introduction of biometrics in travel documents and I would like to invite you to intensify the preparatory work in order to start issuing the new passports in the near future.”
“The correct and effective implementation of the agreements on visa facilitation and readmission, is a key element for the success of the whole visa liberalization process.”
But the top European official made it clear that “the speed of movement towards visa liberalization will depend on your progress in fulfilling the requirements.”
The EC will provide technical and financial assistance for the implementation of the necessary requirements, contributing to the successful achievement in the near future of the whole process.
Frattini also referred to the Albanian-Macedonian visa regime saying the EC was supported by authorities in both countries regarding the bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement.
“The lifting of the visa obligation, as well as the measures taken for ensuring a local border traffic regime, will certainly contribute to facilitate the movement of persons between your countries and allow for closer regional cooperation in the future.