The European Parliament passed a resolution on Albania’s visa liberalization but also warned that EU eligibility also depends on a constructive politics in line with the Copenhagen criteria and also the fight against corruption and reform the judicial system.
TIRANA, June 24 – The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament says Yes to the visa liberalization process for Albania (also after it fulfills the remaining added three benchmarks) in its meeting Wednesday.
“Albania has made progress on reform, but must do more to curb corruption,” said a statement from the parliament after its Foreign Affairs Committee approved two resolutions, one on Albania and the other on Kosovo, on these countries’ EU membership prospects.
It added, “Provided the Copenhagen EU eligibility criteria are met, Parliament should back the eventual EU membership of all Western Balkan countries.”
Both resolutions are to be put to a plenary vote in July.
The statement continues to say that “MEPs acknowledge Albania’s progress on reform, but stress the need for further substantial efforts to consolidate democracy and the rule of law and foster the country’s sustainable development, including a reform of the judicial system and the fight against corruption, which “is still a prevailing problem”, says a resolution drafted by Nikolaos Chountis.
The resolution also calls for a solution to the current political stalemate following the parliamentary elections of June 2009. It notes that “fully functioning institutions, especially the Parliament, are the backbone of a consolidated democratic system and (…) an important political criterion for EU integration”.
Another prerequisite for Albania’s joining the EU is judicial reform, including the enforcement of court decisions and ensuring the separation of powers in a democratic society. A transparent, impartial and efficient judiciary, independent of any political and other pressures or control, is fundamental to the rule of law, stress MEPs.
That is very clear speaking loud to the Albanian politics: try to resolve your crises, your conflicts because that is a European democracy, or your road towards membership will take too long and the people are to suffer.
Albania is involved in the electoral political conflict with the opposition Socialist party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama asking vote transparency, or a partial recount of the ballot boxes.
The governing Democratic Party of Prime Mini9ster Sali Berisha, that narrowly won the June 28 elections last year controlling 75 of the parliament’s 140 seats, opposes that saying that would violate the laws, the Constitution.
What would be pleasing to the common Albanians was the fact that the European Parliament made it clear it was in favor of the visa liberalization
“Albania’s initiatives to waive visa obligations for the EU neighborhood countries are seen as a positive step that facilitates people-to-people contacts and enhances regional reconciliation. But these initiatives should be taken in parallel with the visa liberalization process under way between the Schengen countries and countries of the region, say MEPs,” it said.
The European Commission proposed on 27 May 2010 that citizens of Albania (and Bosnia and Herzegovina) be permitted to travel with biometric passports to the Schengen countries without needing a visa. The proposal is conditional upon Albania’s remedying remaining shortcomings in reintegrating Albanian returnees and enforcing laws to combat organized crime and corruption. According to the European Commission, the monitoring exercise could take place over the summer, so that the Parliament and Council can take a final decision by the end of 2010.
That is clear, isn’t it?
But that is a topic exploited so badly in the country’s politics. The government says they achieved the visa liberalization which the opposition tried to prevent. While the opposition says the visa liberalization could be achieved faster with a different governing.
Both the political parties hailed the resolution, which was approved in the Foreign Affairs Committee with 59 votes in favor and one vote against.
The international community tried to mediate a solution of the country’s political deadlock.
First the Council of Europe and then the European Parliament, including the European Commission, have been directly trying to convince both political groupings in Albania to reach a compromise.
They have failed until now.
On Wednesday in a speech in Tirana at a Security Studies for Journalists Forum hosted by the Albanian Council on Foreign Relations on NATO, Albania and security issues in the region, British Deputy Head of Mission Elizabeth Evans said: “Albania’s accession to NATO marks a creditable achievement and recognition of a growing democratic maturityŮ. However, Albania must not falter in the challenge of bringing her Armed Forces into the 21st Century; also in consolidating wider democratic reforms, which are good for Albania and Albanians, and are also EU requirements.”
“Albania is in the special position to exert a positive influence in a regional contextŅthe continuing political stalemate is undermining the international perception of Albania and undermining positive progress elsewhere.”
“The trick now is maintaining the reform momentum so Albania can fulfill her ambition to be an active part of the international community, en route to EU membership,” said Evans.
The European Parliament lawmaker Joseph Daul said Thursday while visiting Tirana it was possible that they would again convene Berisha and Rama to reach a compromise.
But that has been prolong for more than a month now.
Nevertheless the Albanian politicians are stalling in their crisis progress.
They seem to have turned a deaf ear to all the international calls, exploit their respective political groupings at the European Parliament taking out their words they like but doing nothing.
The country seem towards a long and black tunnel that, for the moment, goes to nowhere.
Its politicians seem to be driving in a shadow, black political tunnel they know how to but bringing no practical results to the country’s interests.
