Next year election fundamental to Albania’s progress, says EU

TIRANA, Nov 6 – The European Commission published its 2008 progress report for Albania stressing explicitly that general elections next year in Albania would be a keystone for the country’s further progress toward integration.
The report also repeated that fighting corruption and improving the judiciary were other main topics of concern for which the tiny Balkan country should focus its attention.
It also made it clear that, though not excluding the possibility, signing a visa free regime with the country needed much more conditions to be fulfilled beforehand.
As normally expected in this country, the report was hailed by the governing coalition of Prime Minister Sali Berisha as a success story. Berisha also pledged to Europe his executive considered that as its road map and would further continue reforms.
The opposition on the other side said that the report made it clear how Berisha’s cabinet had failed to fulfill its promises.
Albania signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU on 12 June 2006. An Interim Agreement covering trade-related matters has entered into force and is being implemented smoothly. SAA ratification by the Member States is nearing completion.
The report considered Albania’s progress in three areas: politics, economy and European standards.
Albania has continued to make progress on consolidating democracy and the rule of law. Key judicial and electoral reforms have made headway, based on cross-party consensus. Efforts to strengthen the rule of law have intensified. Albania has continued to play a constructive role in maintaining regional stability and fostering good relations with other Western Balkan and neighboring EU countries.
However, the culture of dialogue between political parties and the independence of state institutions require further consolidation to allow the political system to function effectively. Despite improved public perception, corruption continues to be a particularly serious problem, as does organized crime. Specific attention is needed to continue judicial reform.
The Albanian economy made further progress towards becoming a functioning market economy.
Albania fast economic growth was accompanied by a widening trade gap, which is weakening country’s external financing position. Albania was successful in containing inflation.
The fiscal policy was loosened as the country started to invest more in infrastructure. This was accompanied by progress in privatization and in improvements in business environment. Restructuring and privatization in the energy sector were not accomplished and insecure energy supply continues to significantly hamper the economic development. Further considerable reforms need to be pursued in order to enable the economy to cope with competitive pressures and market forces with the union over the long term.
Albania has made progress in aligning its legislation, policies and capacity with European standards. It now needs to enhance its efforts in the implementation of these laws and policies. In areas such as customs, competition, free movement of goods and audiovisual policy, progress made in previous years has been sustained.
However, in other areas, such as energy, transport, public procurement, veterinary/ phytosanitary controls and intellectual property rights, progress remained limited. Improved results as regards the fight against organized crime, drug trafficking and money laundering are also necessary.
On Albania Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that its glass was as half full as half empty, according to EC ambassador to Tirana Helmuth Lohan.
The European Commission highlighted the role the EU’s enlargement policy plays in the Union’s strategic interest in stability, security and conflict prevention and also reviewed the progress achieved in the Western Balkans and Turkey over the last year and spells out the challenges ahead. The Western Balkan countries’ advance towards EU membership can be accelerated, provided they meet the necessary conditions. It should be possible to reach the final stage of accession negotiations with Croatia by the end of 2009, provided that Croatia fulfils all the necessary conditions. The pace of negotiations with Turkey will continue to match the pace of reform in the country.
Enlargement serves the EU’s strategic interest in stability, security, and conflict prevention. It has helped to increase prosperity and growth opportunities, to improve links with vital transport and energy routes, and to increase the EU’s weight in the world. In the light of recent challenges to stability to the East of the EU, the consistent implementation of the enlargement policy becomes more important than ever.
Rehn said: “I also welcome the progress made in the Western Balkan countries. Their advance towards EU membership can be accelerated, provided they meet the necessary conditions. Potential candidate countries which demonstrate their readiness, could achieve candidate status. We will prepare a Feasibility Study on how to advance Kosovo’s European future.”
Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are moving ahead with the implementation of their respective Interim Agreements and have made progress in important reform areas. Consolidating the rule of law and administrative enforcement capacities remains a major challenge in these countries. In particular, Albania needs to ensure the proper preparation and conduct of its 2009 parliamentary elections.
Kosovo shares the European perspective of the Western Balkans. Overall stability was maintained. However, Kosovo’s European integration remains at an early stage in most areas concerned. The Commission will present a feasibility study in the autumn of 2009, evaluating means to further Kosovo’s political and socio-economic development, and examining how best Kosovo can progress, as part of the region, towards integration with the EU.
“The Commission continues to take measures to make the European perspective tangible for citizens and companies in the Western Balkans. Provided that the established conditions are met, the Commission may propose lifting the visa obligation in the course of 2009, on a country-by-country basis,” said a statement.