Albania Officially Files its EU Candidacy Bid

Tirana 28 April 2009

PM Berisha holding the EU candidacy applicationAlbanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha officially submitted the country’s application for EU candidacy status during a visit in Prague to the rotating Czech presidency of the European Union. The submission of the request to further ties with the EU was made in a ceremony held together with Czech Premier Mirel Topolanek, and EU’s Enlargement Director Michael Leigh. Speaking at the ceremony, Berisha thanked the Czech presidency for inviting Albania to file its EU candidacy bid, while promising that his government would take seriously the obligation connected with such status.

“I want to assure you Mr. Topolanek and Mr. Leigh that Albania considers this process as a great obligation [for standards] and progress will be based on the achievements that our country will make,” Berisha said to reporters in a joint press conference. Despite Berisha’s assurances, Topolanek said that the small Balkan country would need to do more in terms of reforms in order to progress in the EU ascension process. "There is a long road ahead of Albania and I hope it will be crowned with success," Topolanek told the news conference.

In the last EU progress report for Albania, the European Commission, acknowledged that the country had continued to make progress in the areas of democracy and the rule of law. “Despite some progress, the fight against corruption and organized crime remains a major challenge”, the report says. It also reports that an overall anti-corruption strategy has not yet been kicked off, and emphasizes that corruption “remains a widespread and serious problem”.

The report adds: “Fighting corruption in the judiciary system remains a key issue”, and it urges a thorough investigation of the Gerdec explosion case. “Much work is needed on all aspects of the issue, including judicial accountability and transparency of political party founding,” the paper notes.The report also notices that only limited progress has been achieved in preventing money laundering, as well as the fight against drug trafficking, which "remains a serious concern”. Albania is lacking an adequate court infrastructure, the report says, stressing a “comprehensive reform strategy for the judiciary system is still missing”.According to the paper, Albania needs to make greater efforts to establish an independent, efficient, and merit-based civil service.

Albania has made progress in aligning its legislation, policies, and capacities with European standards and in implementing interim agreement commitments. However, in the field of justice, freedom, and security, the country has progressed “unevenly”; therefore, the Commission considers a need for overall improvement.

The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, however welcomed Albania’s application on Tuesday through a statement released by the Enlargement Director, Michael Leigh. "Albania has continued to make progress on key political reforms and on its preparations for European integration," Michel Leigh, said in a statement. Albania joins Turkey, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro in the group of countries that have applied for EU membership.