Speech on the Albania progress report

Speech on the Albania progress report

Thank you madam President,

Dear Commissioner,

Dear colleagues,

I would like to thank our rapporteur Mr Fleckenstein for the fruitful cooperation and his balanced view on Albania

In the last year Albania achieved a significant progress and the report clearly recognises the country’s role for the regional stability as the only one from Western Balkan states that is full right NATO member. Albania has constructive and stable relations with its neighbours and its foreign policy is in full compliance with EU’s foreign and defence policy.

In domestic politics Albania has made some progress in meeting the political criteria for EU integration. Nevertheless, for the further course of reforms the government and the opposition should ensure the implementation of the political debate in the Parliament in order to consolidate and to expand the achievements so far.

As regards to the economic criteria, Albania has made some progress in the pursuit of a functioning market economy but it has to accelerate structural reforms in order to cope with the competitive pressure on the common EU market. As a result of low competitiveness of the economy, unemployment is high and the grey sector is still large.

The report clearly highlights challenges that Albania is facing and some of the positive steps that the government has taken to deal with them. Despite the reform of judicial system, including the engagement of the Venice Commission to increase the independence, there still needs to be made a fundamental reform.

The country has demonstrated political will to fight corruption, which remains the major problem along with the organised crime that erodes the statehood. There is a serious need of strengthening the depolitisation of the state administration. At that point of view, we should congratulate the government for its efforts and the progress that it has achieved in the reform of public administration.

Madam Chair, in conclusion, I would like to emphasize to the government that unification of Albania and Kosovo is only possible within the EU because the European integration perspective remains the only viable option for all countries on the region.

Thanks for your attention.