Draft-resolution for Albania

Those few European MPs who showed interest for the debate of the Foreign Committee of Albania got acquainted with the draft-resolution prepared by the rapporteur of the European Parliament for the country that demanded support for the candidate status, with the hope to fulfil the remaining conditions.

“We are chosen representatives of the European Parliament and I think that the comments in my report are to offer clear indicators of what measures should be approved, what steps should be taken and what must be done, so that we can see the human rights, the living standards and so that the life quality of the Albanians can improve”, declared Nikolaos Chountis, rapporteur for Albania at the European Parliament.

The right and left political groups reiterated the significance of the next elections and the continuity of the political dialogue. The liberals focused on impunity and the human rights.

 Eduard Kukan, head of the delegation for Balkan at the European Parliament underlined: “The Candidate Status for Albania is reachable. But this depends more on the political will and a stable dialogue between all political parties. It might be too much saying that I want to be optimistic, but I would want to be optimist and see some progress and a full normalization of the interior political life in Albania. I also hope that the next elections will not make this progress more difficult”.

The vice rapporteur for Albania, Libor Rouceku, who is also a representative of the Social-Democrats, added: “The Parliamentary elections of the next spring will be essential for Albania in the next year. I think that this not only should be mentioned, but it should be underlined, because it is essential not only for Albania’s democratic development, but it is also a test for the European progress of Albania, the guarantee of the candidate status”.

A similar position was held by Marijete Schaake, vice rapporteur for Albania: “This is an important start, the beginning of what I think that could be a long process, or at least an intensive process of reforms that should be deep and significant, not superficial. This Parliament was a witness of a very painful political polarization, and a stalemate that is deeply rooted in the current Albanian political system. I think that it is important that we as a Parliament can keep discussing and be in direct contact with the Albanian people. This is for the future and for its own good, not for the political class or a political generation”.

Present in the debate for the draft resolution were also representatives of the European Commission.

Vasilis Maragos, head of the unit for Albania at the European Commission declared for Top Channel: “I want to reiterate the significance that the Albanian institutions are showing for the commitment in the war against corruption and the organized crime, including the proactive investigations and the judicial cases, so that they can guarantee not only the European institutions, but also the Albanians, that there will be no more impunity for the illegal actions”.

The second debate for the resolution, with the increase of the amends from different political groups, will be held on November 15th and will be voted at the Foreign Commission on November 22nd. The final stance of the European Parliament for Albania will be voted in the plenary session of December.