Visa liberalization is a top electoral issue

TIRANA, June 22 – Albania has allegedly failed the EU liberalization exam and will not be included alongside the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia that may have a visa-free status by the end of this year.
Besides that, it is also a clear message from the EU to the people of Albania.
It may clearly indicate that EU officials are tired of Albania’s continuous pledges of fighting corruption, organized crime, creating the proper documentation and voter’s lists, biometric passports and the like.
It was learned that Albania had fulfilled only one third of the roadmap requests set by Brussels.
That has not hampered the governing Democrats and also the opposition of repeating the claim that Albanians will be travelling to Europe without visas next year.
Many Albanians are frustrated with the government’s inability to meet EU reform benchmarks, leading to Albania’s exclusion from visa-free travel this year. Others blame the EU for an unfair decision. In all it seems to be a very tough pill to swallow.
But it comes only a few days ahead of the June 28 parliamentary polls.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha has said visa liberalization is Albania’s number two priority after NATO membership.
Albania was scrapped from the list because inadequate progress has been made in issuing biometric passports and controlling borders, as well as in other reforms.
Visas have been a long and tiring goal for post-communist Albanians. About one-third of the population has already left for neighboring Greece, or nearby Italy, other countries in Europe or to the US and Canada. Very often they have used illegal ways of reaching their destination, which was simply leaving, abandoning their homeland in search of a better life.
Many have died while crossing on foot the mountains to Greece or getting drowned in speedboats across the Adriatic Sea to Italy. Many others have used thousands in various currencies they got as loans to buy a visa, which also indicates there are corrupt western diplomats in Tirana embassies. Many have used an official trip to stay in a country illegally and apply for asylum. Others have used fake documentation of western citizens to cross the borders. Many Albanian students go to study in a foreign country and never return.
Many methods have inspired poor Albanians since the fall of the communist regime in 1990, all looking for a better life in Western Europe.
Europe made a clear roadmap the government had to fulfill. It is stated that issuing biometric passports was a main requirement. But the authorities at the time were more interested in insisting on supplying the citizens with the identity cards, needed first and foremost for the June 28 elections, than also supplying them with biometric passports.
Despite pledges from each of the political parties, Albanians can hardly believe them any more. Very soon it will be difficult to cross the border into either the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or Montenegro, something they have done till now without a visa.
Albanians again feel themselves so sidelined from the rest of Europe and listen in disbelief to their leaders repeating that Albania is part of Europe. Which one should they believe, their politicians, or Europe? Neither choice is pleasant.