European Union winds blowing in Albania’s favor

TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
The winds are shifting in Europe, and Albania’s ship is likely to get a renewed boost in its sails.
With the selection of a Pole and an Italian in key European Union leadership positions, it is clear that the European Union is trying to reinforce its eastern and southern flanks, which will ultimately be a positive development for Albania, a country that culturally and historically has things in common with both eastern and southern EU members.
Donald Tusk, the current Polish prime minister who is slated to become President of the European Council is a very talented politician who has led Poland successfully during a difficult period for the entire European Union, struggling with the economic crisis. Tusk, like the country he leads, is a strong supporter of European Union integration and enlargement. That’s because Poland has been one of the most successful stories of European Union integration – and it is a country that support European Union integration of others. Eighty nine percent of Poland’s population supports European Union membership today, and for countries like Albania — which aspire for membership at a time when a large portion of the EU population is hostile to enlargement — a Pole at the helm of the European Council is good news.
Moreover, the selection of the Italian foreign minister, Federica Mogherini, as the next European Union foreign policy chief is also very positive for the Western Balkans in general, as aspiring EU members, but perhaps more so for Albania in particular.
Italy is a big advocate for Albania in its efforts to join the European Union, so having an Italian at the helm of EU’s foreign policy will undoubtedly boost Albania’s relations with the European Union, particularly if reports she will also deal with enlargement are proven to be true.
Mogherini will have a full plate as she takes on her new role, as Europe faces its largest security crisis since the wars in the former Yugoslavia with the fighting in Ukraine and an increasingly threatening Russia.
After focusing on internal affairs and putting economic fires out inside the European Union, the Balkans went to the back burner and enlargement has been officially been taken off the agenda for the next few years.
Cognizant of the importance of the EU perspective, however, EU members states want to reassure Western Balkan states that their European prospective is secured if they fulfill the conditions set forth by Brussels.
Germany in particular appears to want to take on a more involved role, following a high-profile conference at the end of last month that Chancellor Angela Merkel organized with the leaders of all Western Balkan states.
Merkel signaled Germany plans on working closely with Western Balkan countries to bring them closer to the EU.
The important message is that Western Balkan states will inevitably join the European Union.
It is a joint political, economic and geo-strategic interest, as outgoing Commission President Manuel Barroso put it Berlin.
However, the speed of accession still remains uncertain as it will depend on speed of reforms — but also internal discussions among EU member states.
For Albania – which for years saw its integration crawl to a halt before gaining candidate status earlier this year – the next step – opening accession negotiations — can’t come soon enough.