Europe open to new membership, just that

HLUBOKA, Czech Republic, March 30 – The European Union told Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey last week they were on track for eventual membership in the 27-nation bloc.
Nothing specific given on Albania but local authorities insist they already got a go-ahead for the application of the candidate status.
EU foreign ministers reassured the door to the EU remained open.
EU envoys also sat down with Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia. But those four countries’ hopes of joining lag far behind Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told reporters at Saturday’s talks at a medieval castle in the southern Czech Republic that the EU’s enlargement will only make Europe stronger.
Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha, who was at the meeting said that the EU officials, said he was optimistic that the visa liberalization for the Albania citizens would likely become possible until the end of this year.
Representatives from the EU Presidency, the Member States and the Commission stated their moderate optimism on the successful finalization of the process of visa removal for the Western Balkans countries within the year 2009.
Basha also said he found good understanding for Albania’s application for the candidate status.
Europe also set 150-250 million Euro as assistance to the western Balkan countries trying to help them better cope with the effects of the global financial crisis. (Albania says its economy is healthy and has not suffered from the crisis effects though there is noted a fall of the remittances.)
The Meeting’s main topics were the progress of the process of European integration of Western Balkan countries, the visa liberalization process, the economic situation and the relevant financial support set to be provided by the EU Commission and the further strengthening of regional cooperation, said a ministry statement.
The EU Foreign Ministers re-confirmed the European prospect of Western Balkans under the Thessaloniki Agenda and cleared off any doubt about Western Balkans edging closer to the EU, considering its full integration to the EU as vital for the stability and prosperity of the region and Europe itself, it said.
The EU Czech Presidency, the Member States and European Commission shared with the Foreign Ministers of the countries of the region their common will on the necessity of visa liberalization for all the Western Balkan countries.
Basha said that the Stabilization and Association Agreement would take effect as of the 1st of April and during the same week Albania will become a full member of NATO. “In this way the area of security, stability and prosperity is further enhanced in the Western Balkans.”
Basha reaffirmed that Albania was determined to continue with its constructive role in the region, as a factor of moderation, stability, dialogue and tolerance. It remained committed to regional cooperation and it would continue with all its might to the contribution of the European and Euro – Atlantic project.
Basha pointed out that the acceleration of the EU enlargement process serves neither the Western Balkan countries nor the process itself, adding that the artificial slowdown could bring about dangers, not only for the integration process, but for peace and stability in the region as well.
He said Albania remained determined to coordinate with the EU Czech Presidency, EU Member States and the EU Commission its further steps for the advancement of the country’s European integration process.
But the opposition parties, especially the main Socialist Party, have accused the government of failing to respect the EU’s advice about applying for candidate status.
They alleged that instead the government should guarantee the elections in June are democratic.
EU Enlargement Commissioner has made it clear that the June 28 elections are fundamental to the country’s further progress to the integration process.
“It is a process and a test on democratic stability in the country, and the country should apply when there will be a full preparedness to accept the obligations for start of negotiations,” said Rehn last week.
Before the end of last year it was first the opposition that insisted Tirana should apply for the candidate status. After keeping silent, allegedly as a political game in front of their voters, the government then started to insist on moving before the end of the Czech rotating presidency until end of June at a time when the country holds its polls. This has been considered a political game and the country would eventually not profit from it.
This move comes when the global financial crisis has lowered the stakes for a positive answer for Albania’s candidate status, a process that normally would ask for more than a year.