Even as the European Union struggles to define its future, EU integration should continue to be top priority for Albania and others in the region.
Tirana Times Editorial
Tirana, Dec 16 – These are perhaps the darkest days of the European dream for a strong political and economic union, as the bloc settles in for what appears to be a long economic crisis that has placed the common currency and the union itself in an existential crisis.
The situation has prompted uninformed journalists to ask Balkan leaders: With all this mess, why would you still want to join?
The answer for proponents of EU enlargement in the Balkans, like this newspaper, is simple: There is no other alternative.
Even though the European Union might be troubled at this time, the prospect of being a part of the European dream is far too important to Albania and other countries in the region to abandon. Politically and economically, the Balkan countries that remain outside the EU see it as the only way to peace, prosperity and guaranteed freedoms.
Both they and EU officials recognize that without the prospect of EU integration things could have been a lot worse in the region than they currently are.
The EU itself, from the the geographic and security prospective, can’t afford to leave out any Balkan country that wants to join, particularly if it wants to have a stable back yard. And with Croatia’s accession, the EU’s Balkan enclave on non-member countries is getting smaller and smaller, making full integration more palatable.
The good news is that the latest EU summit went beyond words of reassurance. There were concrete steps taken. Croatia signed the accession treaty, and Montenegro moved a step forward as the EU scheduled starting accession negotiations in the middle of next year. While Croatia’s accession had been expected for a while, the EU’s choice to continue enlargement in the middle of its economic and fiscal crisis is very important.
The EU knows the transformation power of EU’s enlargement policy on the small countries of the Balkans. EU’s top leader, Jose Manuel Barroso, said Croatia’s accession was a clear message to countries like Albania: “A signal that our European offer is on the table; that hard work pays off; that the benefits of European integration are within reach if our partners stay the course.”
It is time for Albania’s political class to do what it has failed to do in the past two years, focus on the key priorities Brussels has set, not just with words, but with actions. It is sad that a country which hasn’t faced the wars of the former Yugoslavia or any major disputes with neighbors still fail to progress only due to internal political disagreements. While all in Albania agree that EU integration is the country’s top project, the political leaders in government and opposition should treat it as such in every word they say and every action they take.
The EU knows stability and prosperity in the Balkans is in Europe’s best interest, and enlargement is the only way to go to drive reforms. But the needed reforms must be completed. There are no shortcuts.
