Albania is increasingly closer to Brussels, the Commission backs membership

The EU’s Executive gives a green light to the status of the country’s candidacy “but they must combat organized crime”

There is also a request to accelerate negotiations with Turkey in the enlargement package

Albania takes another step toward joining the Union. The European Commission says Albania can have candidate status for adhesion. This is the recommendation contained in the enlargement report published in Brussels yesterday. However, the EU Executive also directs some recommendations in Tirana: the country must “continue to combat organized crime and corruption.” To open negotiations these issues “remain essential:” constructive political dialogue and innovative progress in the administration field, and judiciary and human rights. Positively influencing the Commission’s view is the fair and orderly conduct of the last political elections in Tirana and the progress made on the path to reform. After the green light from the European Commission, now the leaders of the 28 member states must officially give the go ahead for Albania in the European Council in December.

 OTHER CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP – The enlargement package also takes stock of all the other countries with official candidate status to join the 28 members. Actually they are: Turkey, Iceland, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. The Commission highlights that they must “take another chance” on negotiations with Ankara and the EU, which began in 2005 but for too long of a time has struggled to make progress. In this sense, “it would be an important step” to open, after a 3 year pause, the chapter on the regional policies, the only one currently planned. According to the EU Executive report, Turkey has made great progress but there is “the pressing need to develop a real participatory democracy” and to guarantee the respect of fundamental freedoms like those of expression and association. The report does not fail to point out that as there was “excessive use of force by police” to suppress protests that erupted in May and June.

 THE BALKANS – The Commission also returns to ask that the negotiations be opened with Macedonia and stresses that all western Balkan countries must implement additional reforms to guarantee the respect for principles of freedom of expression and rights of minorities. This is a “historical year” for relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the Commission notes, but the loop of relations with Pristina remains crucial. In particular Serbia must encourage “large participation of Serbs from Kosovo in the next local elections.” Progress made by Montenegro is great but they must continue to work, especially against corruption. On the other hand, what is critical – the EU Executive on Bosnia: despite efforts the country made “very limited” progress in the last year.

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