EU says Albania’s progress now better, but more work needed

TIRANA, May 15 נThe Stabilization and Association Council (SA Council) between Albania and the European Union held its fourth meeting on Tuesday with the participation of Edmond Haxhinasto, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Minister for Integration Majlinda Bregu and opposition Socialist Party Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on EU integration Ditmir Bushati. The EU delegation was led by Villy Soevndal, Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Commissioner Stefan Fuele, and EEAS Director for the Western Balkans Division Fernando Gentilini. The SA Council noted the generally smooth implementation of the visa-free regime by Albania, and recalled the commitment of the European Union to the short-term visa free travel regime for Albania. The SA Council called on Albania to also pursue its efforts as regards information to the public on the rights and obligations of travelers to the Schengen area.
Europe welcomed the November 2011 political agreement and the resumption of parliamentary cooperation and political dialogue between ruling majority and opposition, which led to encouraging progress on the reform agenda. The SA Council underlined that consolidation of the political dialogue is essential to address the Opinion’s recommendations and in particular the 12 key priorities. The SA Council welcomed the adoption by the government of the revised Action Plan to address the Opinion’s recommendations following an all-inclusive process. The SA Council recalled the need for rigorous and targeted implementation of the Action Plan focusing on delivering tangible results within the defined timeframes.
The SA Council underlined the European Union’s commitment to continue supporting Albania in its integration process while recalling the responsibility of Albanian political leaders of all sides to work constructively on building consensus on needed reforms and for EU integration to become part of the country’s national agenda for government, opposition and civil society. Consequently making progress and delivering on key reforms should be seen as part of a process of shared responsibilities as well as a shared success for government and opposition. The SA Council underlined the importance of ensuring a smooth process for electing a President which represents the unity of the people in line with the letter and the spirit of the constitution.
Brussels also noted positive developments with the establishment and work for the revision of the Parliament’s rules of procedure and the cross-party parliamentary committee on electoral reform. The EU reiterated the importance of addressing the recommendations made by the OSCE/ODIHR for the 2007, 2009, 2011 elections and by the Council of Europe Venice Commission in order to improve over past practices and ensure compliance with EU and international standards for democratic elections. The SA Council recalled the need for a timely completion of these reforms through a cross-party consensus process.
The SA Council called for further efforts in public administration reform, including adoption of pending laws, such as amendments to the civil service law, and implementation of existing legislative and policy tools. The SA Council noted the adoption of the judiciary reform strategy and recalled that ensuring independence, impartiality, transparency, efficiency and accountability of the judiciary are central elements in the assessment of the political criteria for EU accession, and key in ensuring the respect for the rule of law.
The EU underlined that appropriate judicial follow-up is given to the events of 21 January 2011 through a full and independent criminal investigation, and that the investigation is followed by prosecution and convictions as appropriate.
The SA Council stressed that introduction of measures to limit or lift the immunity of high-level officials and judges would help to remove obstacles to proper investigation.
The SA Council recalled that adoption and implementation of a property rights strategy and action plan, covering restitution, compensation and legalization, is a key priority of the Opinion and preparations thereof need to be accelerated.
Europe said that the economy continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, noting efforts made towards establishing a functioning market economy and improving the regulatory framework for business to addressshortcomings regarding property rights, enforceability of contracts and rule of law. Brussels encouraged Albania to strengthen fiscal consolidation to ensure a lasting decline in the GDP debt.
The strengthening of Albania’s administrative capacity to effectively implement the SAA must continue. It also welcomed the adoption by the Albanian Parliament of the law concerning cooperation with the EULEX Special Investigative Task Force.
Fuele insisted that “Further progress however will depend on their joint capacity to maintain a stable and sustainable political dialogue in order to deliver results,” adding that full implementation of the November political agreement and achieving a critical mass of results in other areas are pre-conditions to achieve the next stage in the accession process.
“I am concerned to see that the electoral reform has not yet been completed,” he said, though speaking a day earlier than the failure of the work in Tirana on that issue.
The European Union insists that “it is of exceptional importance to finalize the November package before the procedure for the presidential election starts on 24th May.”
Albania’s application for membership to the European Union on 28 April 2009 was an important landmark for a country that 20 years ago had emerged from a communist rule as one of the poorest, most isolated, most repressive and most inscrutable in Europe.
Albania’s transition to a democracy and a market economy had been launched under challenging circumstances during a period of extreme instability in the Western Balkans. The conclusion of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in 2006 showed that Albania is willing to move to “Brussels”, and since then progress has been made on many fronts.
Haxhinasto said that: “We concluded today that Albania can achieve and has the capacity to crown the achievements and to conclude our integration process.” “The EU integration process is a top objective for Albanian people”, said Haxhinasto.
“As a member of the opposition, I want to use this opportunity to renew the message that we consider the European integration process a national priority” said Ditmir Bushati, adding that “political agreements have produced only some of the political outcomes” and that political reform “has not been completed yet”, calling on the government to “match words with deeds”, particularly on electoral reform.
European parliamentarian Eduard Kukan said that the country will be able to move forward with candidate status “only when reforms have materialized and produced tangible results.”
OSCE Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth also said that for Albania’s international partners, what matters most of all is Albania’s progress on the reform agenda. I would be happy to see a better functioning of the rule of law, greater prosperity spread across society, more jobs, better education and health care – in short a better environment in which to people can live. In order to reach this destination, Albania needs political leaders who are talented and who are willing to negotiate and reach a consensus – ideally based on good ideas – based on the national interest.