European Commissioner for Enlargement to speak at conference, launch platform for those who share an interest in Albania’s EU integration
TIRANA, March 21 – Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, will be back in Albania Monday as a keynote speaker at the Just BE Conference on March 25 in Tirana.
The event will bring together participants from commercial, governmental and non-governmental bodies, parliament, media, academic and diplomatic fields for a discussion focusing on a range of aspects of the European integration process relevant for all citizens, civil society and business.
Fule will launch the EU Delegation’s web portal, which is intended to be a platform for all those who share an interest in Albania’s EU integration.
Albania applied for the EU candidate status in 2009, and has been turned down three times.
Fule was in Tirana earlier this year but he only met with top officials, politicians in the country and left without a public meeting or news conference for journalists. There was only a brief statement.
Fule has also been active in his Twitter feed, peaking about Albania. Recently, he tried to hint at criticism that nationalism was not the way to Europe.
It is unknown whether he will meet with the with the country’s leaders as he usually does: Prime Minister Sali Berisha, also leader of the governing Democratic Party, President Bujar Nishani and Edi Rama of the opposition Socialist Party.
That means that his speech is expected to show the stance the EU has on Albania.
It is likely to mention that the June parliamentary elections will be fundamental to the country’s integration process into the EU.
He is also likely to press for political compromise on reforms and pending laws that have turned into a political war in parliament.
In a few words, he will tell Albania the country needs to do its homework, if it wants to become part of the EU family.
