TIRANA, June 21 – A European Union Council draft document published by Albanian local media on Wednesday appeared to recommend that opening negotiations with Albania should be approved at a meeting later this month, albeit no date for the actual start of the talks is set, which experts say is a departure from previous practices.
Although still impossible to say whether opening accession negotiations with Albania will be ultimately approved, with some EU member state leaders having expressed hesitations about enlargement and Albania’s readiness to join, the draft conclusion prepared for the EU’s foreign ministers’ June 26 meeting, only two days before the EU Council gathers, proposes approving opening of negotiations with the country.
“Given the above progress and in particular the progress of the five key priorities, the Council decides to support opening accession negotiations with Albania,” the draft reads.
However, an exact date that should open negotiations is not provided by the council, while it still stresses the necessity for Albania to continue its justice reform and produce more results in its fight against organized crime and corruption.
“The Council calls on the European Commission to closely oversee the efforts for the above reforms in Albania and assess its progress on a report before the first intergovernmental conference. The Council invites the Commission to begin the necessary preparatory work,” the draft continues.
The proposal, drafted a few days ago, also pays special attention to the issue of Albanian asylum-seekers, asking the EU Commission to make sure the country continues in its efforts to decrease the number of asylum seekers. The draft also calls for the solution of bilateral disputes and the avoidance of statements that negatively impact neighboring relations.
While a constructive government-opposition dialogue is still required of Albania, it’s underlined as a positive achievement on Macedonia’s side, where the political crisis is considered overcome.
France is so far the country risking Albania’s hopes to open accession negotiations by the end of June, with French President Emmanuel Macron still calling EU enlargement a rushed process.
In a common letter directed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron on Monday, Albania’s heads of religious communities also appealed for a positive recommendation towards the country.
“The road to the EU is particularly critical for our youth. Albanian youth ranks among the most Euro-enthusiastic youths, and yet they feel frustrated living amid their European friends but being expelled from the same opportunities,” a part of the letter signed by the four heads of Albanian major religious communities read.
