EP Resolution Backs Albania Visa Liberalisation

Tirana | 23 June 2010 |

The European Parliament building, Strasbourg, France. Photo by Davor Konjikusic

The European Parliament approved on Wednesday a resolution backing Albania’s bid for the liberalisation of visas for travel in the European states that are part of the so-called Schengen zone.

The resolution, which was drafted by Greek MP Nikolaos Chountis, who is the EP Rapporteur on Albania, was supported by 59 MPs out of the 60 in attendance at the Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.

The resolution welcomes the May 27 decision of the European Commission, EC, to back visa liberalisation with Albania, while calling on the EC to check in the coming months if the country has fulfilled the remaining requirements of the visa roadmap.

The resolution also calls on Albanian political parties to engage in constructive dialogue on a new electoral law that would guarantee complete transparency in the upcoming elections.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting in Tirana, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha greeted the resolution as historic, while underlining that the visa liberalisation process was now unstoppable.

“The process of visa liberalisation, so eagerly awaited by Albanians, is going in the right direction,” said Berisha.

The resolution had been scheduled to be put to a vote on June 1, but was postponed due to the political stalemate between the Albanian opposition and the government over the results of the country's 2009 parliamentary elections.