Brussels, 30/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 29 September, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle called, in Tirana, for the Albanian government and political opposition to work “constructively” for progress towards EU accession. At the end of the fourth high-level dialogue session between the EU and Albania (the first since Albania obtained its candidate status), Füle underlined “the importance of compromise and constructive political dialogue within democratic institutions”. “To succeed, EU integration needs to be an inclusive process. I know that there is a broad consensus here on Albania's EU integration future but I call on the government and opposition to work together constructively in a spirit of compromise to make it happen”, he said.
Returning to the subject of the parliamentary blockage, Füle stated that, “in a mature democracy, political debates take place in democratic institutions”. He urged the government and opposition to take measures to re-establish political dialogue within the Albanian parliament.
Füle encouraged the government and opposition to cooperate to establish the National Council for European Integration so that it might channel the energies of all stakeholders, including civil society, into the reform process. The meeting that had been planned did not take place because of the opposition. The government is committed to making this Council operational as soon as possible through constructive dialogue with all stakeholders.
Füle reiterated the need to continue the reforms in an inclusive way and to make them irreversible. Among other issues, he underlined the importance of strengthening the independence, responsibility and effectiveness of the judicial system. The European Commission is due to publish its progress report on Albania on 8 October.
During his visit to Tirana, Füle met Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, Speaker of the Parliament, Ilir Meta, and leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha. (CG)