TIRANA, June 20 – The foreign ministers of the EU member states postponed the decision whether to open accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia in October, agreeing to the text that will be proposed to the heads of states who are to meet under the European Council meeting on June 20 to 21.
The decision postponement for fall was expected, as Germany is awaiting the evaluation of its parliament, and some skeptical countries like France and the Netherlands were not ready for a quick decision.
The text agreed on by the foreign ministers can be considered hopeful if the context of domestic developments in the member states is taken into account, as well as the fact that the Council is committed to come up with a clear decision within October.
According to the conclusion forwarded to the Council, the latter “takes into consideration the recommendation of the Commission to open accession negotiations with Albania based on its positive assessment of the progress made and the fulfillment of the conditions identified by the Council. Given the limited time available and the importance of the matter, the council will turn to this issue in order to reach a clear and substantial decision as soon as possible and not later than October 2019.”
The same wording was given for North Macedonia, rejecting the latter’s request to be judged separately from Albania regarding the decision to open accession negotiations.
However, diplomats said that North Macedonia still has the best chance of opening negotiations later this year, while Albania’s prospects seem to be smaller.
Perceived as one of Europe’s most corrupt countries, according to Transparency International, Albania has made limited progress in the fight against money laundering, despite dismissals of corrupt judges and prosecutors, EU and US officials say.
At the end of the meeting, Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn said afternoon that he “regretted that a few member states did not support the Commission’s clear proposal.”
According to him, Albania and North Macedonia should have been rewarded as they had fulfilled what they were asked last year. EU credibility is at stake, as well as the further promotion of reforms,” Hahn underlined.
In Tirana, the Ambassador of the European Delegation, Luigi Soreca, through a Twitter post, commented on the position of member states, writing that in anticipation of the “clear and substantial decision” in October, it is now time for all institutions to follow up on focusing on the reform process, particularly on judicial reform.
Meanwhile, General Democrat Party Secretary Gazmend Bardhi ironised Rama, writing that “Rama is the only prime minister in the world who calls bad news for the country as positive news, breaking the record from the previous year, when he lied to Albanians that the negotiations were opened.”
