In Tirana visit, Commissioner Fule secures a negotiated process commitment over presidential election as well as promises of fast-tracked electoral reform and parliamentary rule changes.
Tirana Times
Tirana, May 4 – Albania’s prime minister and opposition leader have committed to negotiate solutions over presidential elections, electoral reform and parliamentary rule, the European Union’s top enlargement official said following a visit to Tirana on May 3.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said 2012 offered a chance for Albania to make “a leap” forward in its integration into the European Union, but a lot of work remains to be done.
Fule’s visit comes at a delicate time for Albania as the country prepares to address key issues ahead נthe selection by parliament and a new head of state and the 2013 general elections.
The country is also anxious to get a positive answer to its EU candidate status request it made three years ago and which has already received two negative responses in the previous years.
“Twenty-twelve offers the possibility for Albania to make a leap in the enlargement process,” he said at a news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
Fule hailed the November agreement between the governing Democrats and the opposition Socialists but also said that they should work harder “to reach the critical mass of the progress.” That is the only way, he said, to make sure that the commission and the member states make a “bold decision” of moving Albania to a higher level in the enlargement agenda.
Besides meeting with all top officials, he also held a speech at the parliament in which he underlined the main areas of work that Albania, its politicians, government, civil society and common Albanians, should focus upon in the next months until October when the Commission produces its annual progress report.
A long-awaited visit
It had been more than a year since Fule’s last visit, and his Tirana meetings aimed to discuss reform efforts and progress in the EU agenda with his Albanian counterparts.
He was scheduled to meet all of the country’s top leaders during his one-day stay in Tirana, including President of the Republic Bamir Topi, Speaker of the Assembly Jozefina Topalli, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Edmond Haxhinasto, Ombudsman Igli Totozani and Chairman of the opposition Socialist Party Edi Rama.
This visit follows an intense meetings between the European Commission and Albanian representatives.
Integration pace ‘will depend on performance’
Fule has made it clear that it is up to Albania whether it will get the status or not. That means that Albania should work to fulfill the 12 key recommendations set on the western Balkan country in the last two years.
Fule said openly that “the pace of Albania’s progress towards this target [integration and candidate status] will depend on the performance,”with the November agreement being finalized and also working harder with the action plan “to reach the critical mass of the progress.”
He added, “Now I see the wind of change and I hope the possibility changes into reality later this year ŠThis will require a real national accord. Everyone can and needs to contribute to this national accord.”
Political stability and cooperation are the main areas that will be closely watched from Europe. He said Albania’s “capability to reach consensus in the parliament for long-term key issues,”and achieving tangible results in the reforms linked to the EU integration process, or the 12 key priorities, were very important.
“It is fundamental that Albania uses the time until October well to demonstrate the proper political will for the European integration process,” he said at the parliament.
Fule’s visit, a year since that of March last year, speaks of the importance Europe gives to the parliament, a warning that it should neither be abused by the governing Democrats nor be boycotted by the opposition Socialists.
Key issues
The joint work of the two main political parties is of special importance for the electoral reform. They are expected to give an end to their project soon and that should give a new impetus, a good basis to, at last, hold free and fair elections next year.
Electoral reform should be concluded soon, in time to be used properly for next year’s parliamentary elections. That should be focused on fulfilling the recommendations that ODIHR has made. Both the governing Democrats and the main opposition Socialists should demonstrate in parliament their constructive dialogue and closely monitor legislation and more, EU officials indicated.
Presidential election will be a key test. Fule made it clear he would not give any lecture on how that should be but also reminded that the process and the next president should be in line with the constitution and its request for national unity.
A consensual president also means getting someone in office who is going to select the next head of the secret intelligence police and the next prosecutor general. It also relates to reforming the country’s judiciary, an Achilles heel in the post-communist period.
Fighting corruption and crime remains a top priority
But fighting corruption will help the country a lot. He hailed the voices on lifting the parliamentary immunity and that of the judiciary as a sign of such a progress.
“Fully shedding light on the Jan. 21, 2011 events” will be a clear test of the reliability and independence of the judiciary in the country, he said.
These are not enough unless there is good cooperation between the prosecutors’office and police which he considered as “fundamental for the development of the climate of zero tolerance against corruption.”
Fule also said that Albania should work more on human rights, changing the mentality, legislation and more on ethnical and sexual orientation persons.
Entering the EU will not be easy, he said, for the aspirant countries that should secure the respect for democracy, fundamental rights, the rule of law and that needs to be proved for a period of time, including the market economy and its ability to cope with competition. “Enlargement has contributed to stability, security and prosperity of the member countries,” he said, adding that reforms are investment for improving the life of the citizens.
He assured that Brussels would stay close to Albania’s efforts but he also asked: “please make this possibility change into reality.”
