Commission Renews Call For Albania's EU Candidacy

In a progress report issued on Wednesday, the European Commission said Albania has continued to implement and consolidate EU-related reform measures, in particular those relating to candidate status.

“There has been continued political will to act decisively in the prevention and fight against corruption and structural reforms testify to an all-encompassing approach including a wide range of institutions,” it said.  

“Important legislative reforms have been introduced in the fight against organised crime and investigations have yielded positive results in the fight against drug trafficking and other areas of serious and organised crime,” it added.

Although the Commission previously issued a positive recommendation on Albania’s EU candidate status last autumn, the EU Council of Ministers in December postponed a decision, seeking a longer track record in the fight against organized crime and corruption.

EU ministers said they would await the new report issued on Wednesday from the Commission, before deciding on Albania’s application later this month.

Reacting to the positive recommendation by the Commission, Prime Minister Edi Rama declared at a joint press conference with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stafan Fule in Tirana that Albania deserves candidate status.

“This progress report underlines and leaves no leeway for any doubt as to why Albania should receive EU candidate status,” Rama said.

Fule said that the report underlined the progress made by Albania in key areas and urged the government to push forward with the process.

“We confirm without any doubt, hesitation and condition the recommendation for member states to grant Albania EU candidate status,” he said. “The engagement for...