Doubts persist about the use of EU funds from the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans in Albania and Montenegro, according to MEPs from the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control, who visited the two countries from 16 to 18 September.
The delegation’s mission was to examine the arrangements for protecting EU funds, by meeting with representatives of the Parliament and the Court of Auditors in Albania, and representatives of the national government in both countries, as well as representatives of civil society.
The two candidate countries for integration into the European Union still have a “long” way to go, according to the MEPs in this delegation, who point to “entrenched corruption”, chronic delays in infrastructure financed by public procurement contracts, political pressure on supervisory bodies and the marginalisation of civil society.
The MEPs also criticise Montenegro’s “overreliance on tourism and real estate”. Because they have observed progress, the MEPs say they are “confident” that the two countries will show “tangible results” within two or three years. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)