Not High Time For EU Membership, Says British Ambassador

TIRANA, Feb 4 – British Ambassador to Tirana, Fraser Wilson said that it was not high time for Tirana to apply for the candidate status at the European Union.
“I think it is early. Albania should consider more fulfilling the Stabilization and Association Agreement requirements because that is the basis it is to be judged upon,” he said in an interview to private Klan television station.
EU reports have shown Albania needs to make more progress in some areas.
He said there is no back thinking of leaving any country like Albania behind in the integration progress but “each country should be based on its merits and Albania should focus on the issues it should do.”
There is a problem at this moment, said the ambassador, the lustration law.
“That law is a serious concern for my country and for a number of other countries, not the way of lustration but the way in which it is drafted. We believe the law is not fully in line with the constitution Šand we believe it should first be in line with the constitution before it proceeds.”
He mentioned the way judges would be replaced, as an example.
“The main concern of the communist dictatorship laws is that it neglected human rights. Thus cancelling these people through ignoring their human rights, or constitutional rights, is not the proper way.”
“Laws in conflict with the constitution should not be passed. ŠFor the EU the law application is fundamental.”
The British ambassador said that the lustration law could raise doubt when Albania applies for the EU candidate status. “Unfortunately this is a step backward.”
“United Kingdom is a strong supporter for Albania’s integration. We strongly believe Albania’s future is in the EU. We believe that all Balkan countries should enter the EU,” he said, adding it is up to Albanians on how much time they will need to get integrated.
“It is going ahead but of course there are slight deviations like the lustration law.”
Albania has gone far ahead in the last 17 years, said Wilson, referring to the electoral reform, judicial reform but much is needed at the public administration, a very important reform, according to him.
Cooperation between the majority and the opposition is fundamental for the country, especially in the judicial reform, which should be more transparent.
Elections will be very important and “It is important that they are held calmly,” the ambassador said. “It would be terrible if Albania entered NATO in April and then elections did not go wellŢ
Wilson also said that the problem of the alleged Albanian criminals sheltered in Britain was a serious problem that should be resolved by both countries’ authorities.
“It is important that the rule of law reigns and be applied in both countries,” he reacted to the concern expressed recently by the Albanian top policeman Ahmet Prenci that many Albanian criminals hide in Britain, finding it hard to extradite them back home to serve prison terms.