Wednesday, April 14, 2010

ALBANIA-EU: BERISHA, GREAT PROGRESS AND MEMBERSHIP CERTAIN
(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS -
After years of large-scale transformations, for Albania, EU membership is not a pipedream, but a ''future certainty''. Premier Sali Berisha, who at a conference in Brussels on the future of Albania in the EU - organised at European Parliament by the Schuman Foundation - is convinced of this, and took stock of the achievements in the last five years which have changed the face of the country. ''I do not have a membership date yet,'' said the prime minister while speaking to journalists, ''but it will happen before I might suppose''.

The strong points of the government presented in Brussels by Berisha are currently the systematic fight against corruption and crime, fiscal reform and salary increases, in addition to the growth of the social budget and privatisations. All factors that have contributed to maintaining Albania's economic growth faced with the global crisis. ''Today - said the prime minister - exports are recovering, as are profits and bank loans''. ''In the EU membership process,'' explained Berisha, ''reforms for Albanian citizens have been started that provide the chance for people to have services and prospects equal to those of European citizens.'' According to Berisha ''now Albania is one of the safest countries, with the crime rate that is lower than the EU average''.

more see: http://www.ansamed.info/en/top/ME11.XAM16432.html

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