EU’s center-right parties unhappy with commission’s decision on Albania

TIRANA, Nov. 17 – The European Commission came under fire this week over its latest progress report on Albania during a meeting hosted by the European People’s Party.
Joseph Daul, president of the EPP, the biggest political group in the European Parliament, said he had not seen the problems referred to in the commission’s report on his own visit to Albania. Daul announced that he would convey his criticism of the report to Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha took part this week at a conference held by the European People’s Party, the group of the center-right political parties in Europe, on the western Balkans prospects of European integration.
The high-level conference on “Balkans in the heart of Europe” was organized by the EPP inviting the leaders of conservative governments in the region. The event gathered prime ministers and ministers from EPP parties in the Balkans.
During the conference Berisha also lobbied against the European Commission opinion that rejected Albania’s bid for candidate status last week.
The European Commission came under fire on Tuesday over its latest progress report on Albania during a meeting hosted by the European People’s Party (EPP).
Joseph Daul, president of the EPP, the biggest political group in the European Parliament, said he had not seen the problems referred to in the commission’s report on his own visit to Albania. Daul announced that he would convey his criticism of the report to commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
The commission published its opinion on Albania’s submission to become an official candidate for EU membership on Nov. 9. The Brussels-based EU executive refrained from recommending Albania’s candidacy and instead asked the country to continue reform efforts that could eventually lead to candidate status.
For now, the commission considers Albania to fall short of the political criteria needed to begin membership talks. The greatest problem identified by experts was the lack of dialogue between the government and opposition in Tirana.
The country has been in a political crisis since the summer of 2009 when, following general elections, Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s conservative party held onto power and the socialist opposition started boycotting parliamentary work.
Following a recent proposal from the opposition, Berisha urged them to send it to the parliament.
Opposition Socialists let go of their previous request for a partial recount of ballot boxes, now asking only for investigating the election documentation.
Daul also blasted the Albanian Socialist Party opposition and their lack of participation at the parliament’s life.
Together with Martin Schultz, head of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament, he started an initiative to prod the two Albanian rivals into a compromise earlier this year, but the effort failed.
Berisha was well se4rved in his political fight back home from Daul. Berisha blamed the opposition for the commission’s negative report and said he had done everything in his power to encourage the Socialists to re-join parliamentary proceedings.
In reaction to that Ardian Severin, a leftist European lawmaker, criticized the Albanian government the next day in support of the Albanian opposition.
EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule, who also addressed the gathering, expressed hope that the Balkan countries would progress in 2011. “In line with our approach based on credibility, we define precise priorities in the opinions, providing each country with clear guidance of what needs to be done. We will assess progress made on key priorities in 2011,” he said.
He said it was very important that Balkan countries become EU members because it would mean stabilization and peace for the whole of Europe and would contribute to the economic stability of the continent.