EU wants tangible results, nothing else

TIRANA, July 12 – The European Commission and Parliament bluntly told Albanian officials that they want a short message: 12 priorities have been fulfilled.
That was the result of the 5th meeting between Tirana (with a delegation made up not only of Integration Minister Majlinda Bregu but also representatives of the main parliamentary group) and Brussels.
Eduard Kukan of the European Parliament told them that Europe knows Albania and its problems quite well and need no more excuse on the progress to the 12 key priorities set from them. They just want them fulfilled so that they will join Albanians’ celebrations on the 100th anniversary of independence.
The same was mentioned from Stefano Sannino of the EU’s Enlargement department, reminding Albanian officials that Commissioner Stefan Fuele had made it clear in his speech in Tirana at the parliament. They want much more and not just political pledges.
Albania has applied for the candidate status and the keys to achieve that this year are there: Europe’s 12 priorities need to be fulfilled.
The European officials were careful when they heard of the successful end of the political talks in Albania on the electoral reform. But Albania needs also do much more in the parliamentary reform, lifting of the immunity and other top areas like the fight against organized crime and corruption, improvement of the judiciary and many other items in its economy.
It is quite clear that unless Albania heeds European Union recommendations on the improvements needed to be in place in the Balkan country before it can start negotiations for a membership in the regional bloc, Tirana should not hope of any positive answer this year.
Two previous years have had a negative answer on Tirana’s candidate status.
The window of opportunity is rapidly closing as the European Commission will soon start preparing a new assessment on Tirana’s readiness to start European Union accession talks.
Albanian politicians have lost much time focusing on electoral reform. And they need to introduce real progress in the parliamentary reform, lifting of immunities and other priorities.
And they normally are needed before the August recess.