EU asks for deeper reforms

TIRANA, March 11 – Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha met in Brussels Tuesday with the European Union’s troika of top officials.
The meetings, a regularly scheduled session held between experts of Albania and the EU, discussed the ongoing reforms in Albania, developments in western Balkans, the country’s foreign policy and regional cooperation.
Electoral and judicial reforms were again the main priorities and Albania was urged to focus its efforts on continuing the integration process.
Other topics discussed included fighting organized crime and corruption and consolidating economic reforms.
EU leaders praised Tirana for its moderating role in the Balkans and Albania was called a leading factor contributing to the security and stability in the region.
The minister said that the Albanian government was committed to an extensive agenda of reforms in the economy and judiciary and continuing the fight against organized crime. “On behalf of the Albanian government, I would like to assure the EU that we are determined to continue the journey already taken, we will overcome obstacles and challenges,” said Basha, convinced that for Albania “there is no other road.”
The EU representative for common foreign and security policy, Javier Solana, after meeting with the Albanian Minister praised the results achieved by Tirana. Solana said, “Albania is on the right path,” said Solana, adding Albania has a key role in stabilizing the Balkans, urging the prime minister to continue on “a more constructive collaboration to bring the whole area to the EU.”
Solana hailed Albania’s efforts and hoped that the Stabilization and Association Agreement signed two years ago would be ratified to allow the other application process to begin.
The EU also reviewed its requirements regarding the country’s efforts to fulfill the EU standards for a visa-free regime. Albania has already begun negotiations on the liberalization of its visa processed for certain groups.
Last week, European Commission Vice President Franco Frattini, who is in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, launched a dialogue on visa liberalization with Albanian officials in Tirana, which gives clear indications to the Albanian authorities on the measures that need to be taken before visa-free travel can 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 business people working with EU companies.
During Friday’s meeting, the Slovenian President of the European Union and the Commission took steps to open a dialogue with Albanian authorities which are expected to lead to visa-free travel for all Albanian citizens.
Since January 1, 2008 Albanian citizens have enjoyed the benefits of the visa rules which allow for simplified visa application and issuing procedures for a broad range of categories of citizens. The visa facilitation agreement also foresees a lower cost of visas (35 Euros instead of 60 Euros), visas which will allow for multiple entries in the EU with a validity of up to five years, as well as visas free of charge for children and pensioners.