As Albania hopes to get the EU candidate status in three months time, high-level visits focus on encouragement
and challenges
TIRANA,March 6 – Italy will be the lobbyist- in-chief for Albania at the European Union, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has said in Tirana during an official visit.
Speaking in the Albanian parliament, Napolitano said Italy is committed to continue to play an important role to help Albania with its European integration process.
“It is clear to all that the place of Albania is in Europe, because of its history, its culture, and its values. Europe has represented a lot to Albania in the past, it can even represent more in the future,” Napolitano told the Albanian parliament. “Albania, on its end, has abundantly shown that it has done much, and that it can actually do even more, for the European family.”
The Italian president added Albania deserves to get EU candidate status without further delays, urging the country to move forward with reforms. He added it is important to have cooperation among all political forces on key reforms at a time when conflict between the opposition and the ruling parties has been growing in Albania.
“It’s important for us, as your advocate, not to lose this cause. We are convinced that we will win the cause, and Albania will join the EU,” Napolitano said, speaking at a press conference with his Albanian counterpart, Bujar Nishani.
Rome, one the of the founding members of the European Union, led a group of countries that supported Albania’s bid to get candidate status last December, a move vetoed by Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands and Denmark, countries that said they wanted to take some time to evaluate the new government’s work in fighting corruption and organized crime.
Albania set on reforms for EU integration
Napolitano’s words were not lost in Tirana as EU Enlargement Commissioner ˴efan F
