No clear explanation for why Albania has been held back from gaining EU candidate status is generating a toxic debate that could harm Albania’s future.
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
In the past few years, most of Albania’s lack of progress in its bid to join the European Union had its roots inside the country. Brussels had requested several reforms, but years of lack of political consensus led to failure after failure in meeting the principle-based requirements set by Brussels.
Things changed, and Albania used 2013 to complete all the tasks the EU asked for, and it solidified its democratic credentials through smooth elections and a transition of power. Authorities in Brussels made it seem like getting the EU candidate status would then just be a formality. It wasn’t. Albania was denied. No real explanation was given, other than wanting to see some results from the reforms that had been passed. In essence, the rules were changed after the fact. Albania got caught in the bloated debate taking part in the EU over immigration, the economy and other things that have nothing to do with this country at this stage of its integration.
Albania’s government has been asking for basic fairness ever since the country was denied candidate status for membership despite fulfilling the requirements that the EU had set. The government has hinted it is not happy about perceived double standards it sees applied in the region, particularly since Albania has been a NATO member since 2009 and has vowed to jointly protect most of the countries in the European Union through the world’s most powerful military and political alliance.
Yet the latest decision – offhand refusal without a clear explanation נis prompting a crisis of identity in Albania. From the common man to the opinion-makers people are desperately trying to answer one question: Why do they not want us? The attempt to answer the question is bringing up things that were not even on the radar six months ago. Is it because the country is seen as Muslim, and as such intrinsically un-European? Is it because Europeans identify Albanians as natural-born criminals and thugs? Is it because the country is hopelessly poor and ready to infect Europe with its wretched masses waiting to roll into the promised land of rich Europe to milk welfare payments? These extremely negative questions will not do any harm to the EU, but are disastrous for Albania’s self-worth, self-image and its future and such discussions need to be nipped in the bud.
Despite some efforts by well-meaning EU diplomats, Albanians have not been given a clear answer, and skirting the question will not do. The big three: Germany, France and the UK – but our beloved Dutch and Danish friends too – need to be clear and come out and explain why Albania – a NATO ally – is being written off for something as symbolic as being an EU candidate member, while other countries with countless political figures being tried for war crimes are being sent to the express lane.
This week, Albania found one EU member state that does speak bluntly. Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, like most Albanians, was clear that as NATO member Albania “does not deserve to be a subject to bias, but for the sake of truth, such a bias against you exists.”
