Brussels, 18/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - During the first visit to Brussels of the president of Albania, Bujar Nishani, on Monday 17 September, the president of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said that “the candidate country status of Albania is within reach”. “Albania is making progress and its perspective for progress in 2012 is real”, he added. Barroso said he was confident that 2.8 million Albanians and their leaders “will show their determination and capacity to move to the next stage”. Highlighting Tirana's progress, he said that the country “can and must do more”. Barroso also urged the Albanian political actors to maintain “a strong and constructive” political consensus around Albania's European future.
In the opinion of the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, Albania “can still make good progress” on its European path in 2012. He said that there were two key dates - the Commission's report in October, and the European Council in December. “It is now important that political reforms continue. I encourage the government and the opposition to jointly exploit the momentum in order to achieve concrete results addressing the 12 key priorities outlined in the Commission Opinion”, Van Rompuy said, stressing respect for the rule of law, including fighting against corruption and organised crime. “There is no doubt that Albania's future lies in the EU”, he added.
Nishani, too, stressed the progress of his country - for example on judicial reform, consolidating the rule of law, fighting against corruption and organised crime, and appointing an ombudsman. He assured the two European presidents that he was going to continue consolidating the reforms. Nishani also made it clear that the European perspective encourages regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, and he promised that his country would contribute to the stability of the region. (CG/transl.fl)