Brussels, 18/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 18 May, Albania's foreign minister Ditmir Bushati proposed implementing a timetable with steps to achieve five key reforms by the time of the progress report that the European Commission is due to present in October, “which could lead to the opening of accession negotiations”.
Bushati stated that this would increase responsibility and clarify the steps to achieve the opening of accession negotiations. “This will enable the EU and its member states to monitor the reform process in Albania more closely”, Bushati added. In order to open its accession negotiations, Albania must progress in reforming its public administration and judicial system, continue its efforts at fighting corruption and organised crime, and strengthen its protection of human rights and ownership rights (see EUROPE 11131).
Questioned about a positive recommendation for opening accession negotiations in the progress report, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said he was currently “very optimistic”, stating that Albania was able to show a convincing result in the reforms. “There are still five months” before the progress report, said Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics, adding that more progress was needed.
Rinkevics and Hahn thus called on Albania on Monday 18 May to continue its reform efforts. Hahn underlined the need to undertake “further concrete action, to allocate sufficient resources and show political resolve”. The Europeans also called for the local elections on 21 June to be in line with international standards. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)