European Parliament Threat To Freeze Ties With Albania

TIRANA, June 10 – The European Parliament is set to give an end to the Albanian political crisis.
The parliament has been mediating, together with the European
Commission, on trying to urge Albania’s two main political groupings – governing Democrats of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialists of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama – to reach a compromise to give an end to their political stalemate which is blocking the country’s normal functioning in its reforms.
Victor Bostinaru, deputy head of the EP delegation on the Balkans, told private television state Top Channel that the parliament had prepared a draft proposal to be presented to the two political parties in Albania.
The EP is still in the process of its preparation, done by the two
main political groupings in Strasbourg.
Socialists claim vote count manipulation and want a partial recount.
The Democrats consider opening of the ballot boxes as illegal.
First, the Socialists boycotted the parliament and held street
protests. In February, they bowed to the pressure from the Council of Europe mediation delegation and returned to parliament. But soon they disagreed with the way an investigative commission was crated and also because it did not accept a partial recount.
They turned to the streets and held a hunger strike.
The EC and EP mediation took the two leaders in Strasbourg for dinner, pushing them to reach a compromise, or damage their country’s integration prospects.
“If the two leaders turn down the EP’s proposal, both European
political groupings will decide to freeze all issues with Albania,
including that of the visa liberalization,” said Bostinaru.
The EC positively suggested to the European Union to proceed on the visa-free regime for Albania and Bosnia. For the latter the parliament also passed a resolution, but postponed the same one for Albania, giving a two-week time to resolve their dispute.
The draft proposal is being worked upon from the two groupings of the European parliament and both leaders in Tirana are aware of that, said Bostinaru, adding that according to their opinion it is enough flexible to be accepted by both sides.
“They should be aware of the impact and consequences on such a deal,” said Bostinaru.