TIRANA, May 5 /ATA/-By A. Fortuzi/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama said at a meeting with members of the National Association of the Martyrs’ Families on Sunday that internal factors are hindering Albania’s integration into the European Union.
Addressing a medal awarding ceremony, the government head underlined that the European Commission has confirmed that Albania has demonstrated commitment to EU-related reforms and has done its homework for starting the EU accession talks, but certain problems within the EU member states are undermining EU aspirations and have postponed opening the membership negotiations from past June to this year’s June.
“On the other hand, in a beautiful coincidence, our challenge to open the formal EU membership negotiations coincide with the 75th anniversary of Albania’s liberation and I wish with all my heart that this long endeavour indeed materializes, although, unfortunately, we haven’t been all united in this national mission as an internal factor is attempting every day to block opening of the negotiations just for narrow political interests,” Rama said.
“Last year we received a positive recommendation from the European Commission on opening the negotiations, but the European Council decided that for internal reasons this topic be addressed next June. Meanwhile, the European Council and the European Commission last year again said that although the negotiations were not formally opened, the screening process was launched last autumn. De facto, despite those talking gibberish and nonsense to bend the citizens’ ears, Albania has embarked and is carrying out a technical process, which every country that have already launched talks have gone through” the Premier added.
“June is nearing and we hope and believe that the European Commission will again recommend unconditional launch of the membership negotiations, which means in terms of the evaluation made by the European Commission we will gain what we are entitled to, the merit in fulfilling the homework. The recommendation is then forwarded to the European Council of the 28 member states that consider the recommendation at a political level and last year an overwhelming majority endorsed the recommendation and demanded that the negotiations open immediately, but certain other member states, given their electoral realities, called that the issue be considered after the European elections, due in May,” Rama said.
The Premier noted that the reforms launched by his government are being carried out not because they are required by Brussels, but because of the country’s future.
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