Netherlands criticizes minister for being ‘weak’ over Albanian visas

TIRANA, Nov. 9 – Media outlet DutchNews.nl had a story Tuesday, a day after the European Union’s Council of Ministers unanimously voted for visa liberalization for Albania and Bosnia, criticizing the role the Dutch minister of immigration played at the meeting.
It wrote that immigration minister Gerd Leers put in an ‘ultimately weak performance’ when EU ministers approved the ending of visas for people from Bosnia and Albania, Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-Islam party PVV says in Tuesday’s Volkskrant.
Leers said he had little choice but to vote in favor because the decision had effectively already been taken. ‘Our resistance would have been voted down,’ the paper quoted him as saying.
However, ministers did agree visas could to be reintroduced if large numbers of Bosnians and Albanians move to the Netherlands or other countries, EU news websites said.
‘The Netherlands must not be seen as a pariah. I am not going to come up with all sorts of extreme proposals which will die a death because we are isolated,’ Leers said.
Despite the importance of what this stand shows, Tirana and its authorities should really put a serious ear and eye to such an open warning.
It is clear that Albania, this tiny western Balkan country, does not have much lobbying in Europe. That means it should really take good care of its promises or could be immediately reprimanded.
It was Serbia and Macedonia who sparked a loud cry from some western EU member countries when some of their citizens asked for asylum
But it would not be a surprise that Albania could be the first to be shown the spade if a few Albanians would try the same.
True Tirana authorities have launched a public awareness campaign for many months now.
But still no one would stop the mind of poor Albanians asking for a better life in western Europe and breaking the timing of 90 days stay per 180 days there, as the new rules of visa free regime set.
Authorities should continue to play their strong role and also strongly warn their citizens to respect the new rules, or suffer again the long queues at the embassies.
While to Europe one could warmly tell they should naturally ask Tirana abide by the law and respect it but they should also punish individuals for not respecting the law and not the whole country.
Or better than that, if some Albanians would break the Schengen rules, Europe should punish Albanian politicians and government officials re-setting the visa regime, and not the people.