On Thursday, 28 February, the European Parliament rapporteur on Albania, Knut Fleckenstein (S&D, Germany), called on “all parliamentarians [in the Albanian National Parliament] to assume political responsibility for carrying out their duties and resuming parliamentary work in the interests of the country and its prospects for European integration, and not for the next elections”.
Opposition MPs resigned in mid-February to protest against the socialist government in Tirana (see EUROPE 12199).
“Boycotting the Parliament is in no respect a way out of political problems and is against democratic principles. Parliament is the forum where political disagreements should be addressed”, he told the press in Tirana during a trip by a delegation of MEPs. He also called on the Albanian opposition “to organise peaceful demonstrations, in accordance with the rule of law”.
“Albania needs to focus on reforms, not on political quarrels”, he warned, stating his belief that Parliament and the government would continue on the path of reform.
The rapporteur also pointed out that the European Parliament was waiting for “the [20] June European Council decision on whether to open negotiations with Albania” (see EUROPE 12149). “We see no reason for further delaying the decision as the conditions set are met”, he added.
Several Member States are sceptical about allowing negotiations to be opened with Tirana and the current situation in the country tends to strengthen their position. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)