Brussels, 23/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 April, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle said at the end of the fifth EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Council that further progress on Albania's European path “will depend on the capacity of the Albanian political parties to maintain a stable, sustainable and constructive political dialogue and to deliver solid reform results”. The council, while noting the improvement of political dialogue and cooperation at the Albanian parliament, called for the dialogue to be reinvigorated so that Albania might respond to its European agenda.
While Albania has made progress in responding to the political criteria for accession and the 12 key priorities, Tirana still has to finalise the review of its parliamentary rules of procedure, adopt the law on the civil service and amend the law on the high court, ahead of a recommendation for its EU candidate status. In the view of the Albanian minister for European integration, Majlinda Bregu, if the reforms are voted through - which she hopes they will be very soon - and if the reforms continue, this will enable Albania to obtain a positive recommendation from the European Commission in its October progress report. “This could potentially pave the way to agreeing the status”, said the Irish European affairs minister, Lucinda Creighton.
The council stressed the importance of the fight against corruption, and against organised crime, and of progressing on human rights, including minority rights. It noted Albania's economic growth and its efforts to set up a viable market economy, and the council considered the implementation of the stabilisation and association agreement as generally satisfactory. The EU wants Tirana to take new measures with a view to a visa-free regime - particularly with regard to unfounded claims for asylum. Stressing the importance of Albania continuing to play a constructive role in the region, Creighton called on Albania to avoid the use of nationalistic rhetoric.
Füle reiterated the importance of the parliamentary elections in June being conducted in accordance with European and international standards, underlining that there is “an urgent need for political parties to restore mutual trust and demonstrate their commitment to the rigorous and non-partisan functioning of Albania's democratic institutions”. He also stressed their responsibility in ensuring the independence of the election administration bodies, and he reiterated European concerns about the recent developments in the composition of the central electoral commission (see EUROPE 10829). (CG/transl.fl)