Albania pushes for EU talks despite political deadlock at home

AUGUSTIN PALOKAJ AND SVETLANA JOVANOVSKA

Albania, whose Socialist opposition has been boycotting parliament for a year now, is pressing ahead with efforts to eventually secure EU membership.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Wednesday (14 April) submitted answers to a questionnaire that will enable the European Commission to issue to member states an opinion on the Western Balkan country's application to join the EU.

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EU enlargement chief Stefan Füle told Mr Berisha that "the timing of the opinion will largely depend on the quality and completeness of the information". He told journalists that before the next local elections in Albania, due next spring, the Commission would deliver a "balanced and fair assessment"of the situation, paying particular attention to the country's fulfillment of the political criteria for admission.

International observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe have concluded that general elections in June 2009 "did not fully realise Albania's potential to adhere to the highest standards for democratic elections".

In an interview with WAZ before meeting Mr Berisha, Mr Füle made it clear that the country needs to improve the functioning of its political system.He suggested that the commission might have additional questions once it studies the current answers.

"There are issues- and one particular - that makes the whole process more difficult and it is the stability of political institutions in Albania," Mr Fule said."I visited recently Albania and expressed deep concerns about the parliament still not being able to play fully its role."

The centerpiece of the commission's opinion will be Albania's compliance with the so-called Copenhagen criteria, which make a country eligible to join the EU. These criteria include having institutions to preserve democratic governance and human rights, a functioning market economy, and readiness to meet the obligations of EU membership. Member states, which have the final say on the issue, differ on the Albania's readiness.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy tried to reassure Mr Berisha calling his government's answers to the commission questionnaire a "historical document". But he warned that the EU is following domestic political developments with "interest and attention."

The commission is also studying answers by Montenegro, which, according to diplomats, stands a good chance of winning a positive opinion and possibly candidate status this year.

Member states are still expected to start the same procedure with Serbia, which applied for EU

membership last year. The application was not dealt with yet because of its failure to fully cooperate with The Hague war crimes tribunal.