A row between representatives of the ruling and opposition parties in parliament has doomed the adoption of a joint resolution at the end of the eighth EU-Albania meeting of the parliamentary committee on the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement.
The meeting was meant to assess progress in fulfilling the five key priorities that Brussels has set as a condition for Albania to open accession talks.
Another issue discussed was the process of decriminalization of parliament – making sure no MPs with criminal ties are elected – a process all Albanian parties agreed on in principle last December.
The EU representative, Monica Macovei, an MEP from Romania, said that the EU now expected that “common commitment to become a reality,” calling on “all parties not to include in the lists of candidates for local elections of June people with criminal backgrounds.”
The text of the draft resolution also touched on the issue of the allegations made by Albanian MP Tom Doshi, who has accused the speaker of parliament, Ilir Meta, of ordering the assassination of two MPs, including Doshi.
Prosecutors are investigating the case, but there appears to be no evidence so far. Meta has called the accusations “fiction.”
Macovei called for “an independent and impartial investigation” and that the parties “patiently wait its results.”
It was the Doshi affair that doomed the joint resolution, however, as Democratic Party MP Aldo Bumci insisted that the statement could not be general and should refer to the Doshi case by name.
Bumci also wanted the resolution to mention firings in the public administration and government pressure on the judicial system.
The EU envoy covering Albania, Macovei spoke to the media afterward with Taulant Balla of the Albanian Socialist Party to read their joint statement which the Democrats refused to sign.
Albania was granted the candidate status for EU membership last year and now has to work on five priorities to convince EU on launching full membership talks, the last step before becoming a full member.
Macovei said that the status itself was a confirmation of the good work done so far and also a stimulus for further reforms.
She also supported the deal of the Albanian political groups last December, for which the European Parliament mediated and stressed the importance of the political dialogue and consensus, as a necessary step for the integration progress.
Fighting corruption, organized crime, reforming the public administration and fulfilling human rights are some general ideas on what the country should work upon.
“We are totally set to achieve fundamental progress, convinced that is the only way to advance in the road toward the European Union,” said European Integration Minister Klajda Gjoshaj this week.
Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati added, “The process of launching the negotiations would help in a distribution of the responsibilities on the performance of those fields where negotiations are focused.”
The next high-level dialogue meeting with EU will be held in Tirana on March 24.
