The Albanian government has made progress in all conditions set by the EU in its path toward the start of EU accession talks.
This is the finding of the European Commission’s Directorate General for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations.
On Monday, Director for Western Balkans Genoveva Ruiz Calavera presented to the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee the Albanian government’s work to meet the conditions set by the European Union.
“Albania has continued progress in all the reforms that are necessary for fulfilling the conditions that the Council in March outlined for the first intergovernmental conference,” Ruiz Calavera stated in the opening of her speech.
She further outlined the main achievements of the Albanian government:
– The electoral reform has been agreed through a cross party deal.
– Vetting has continued, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
– The High Court has gained a quorum to function.
– The Constitutional Court has started ruling on cases.
– Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office (SPAK) has started to operate.
– The procedure to nominate the director of the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) is under finalization.
– There has been progress in the track-record on the fight against corruption and organized crime.
– The government has made a high level political commitment to fight money laundering.
– The government has sought to improve cooperation with countries more affected by asylum applications, and has achieved positive results.
– The government has committed to implement the findings of the Venice Commission on media law.
– The government has outlined concrete measures to implement the law on the protection of national minorities, the law on population census, and to advance the process of registration of properties.
Ruiz Calavera added that her department regretted the demolishing of the National Theater, but that the decision ultimately lied with the Albanian government, and the EU could not do more than calling for the respect of rule of law and protection of national heritage.
