TIRANA, Feb 18 /ATA/ – David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), warned that violent protests have no place in a functioning democracy, during a visit to Albania as part of a regional tour on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference after meetings with state officials, heads of parliamentary groups and opposition figures, McAllister reaffirmed support for Albania’s European Union accession path.
He noted that EP delegation visit comes at a decisive moment, after Albania opened the final cluster of accession negotiations and awaits the European Commission’s progress report.
“We continue our strong support for Albania on its path towards EU integration,” he said, noting that the country had opened all negotiating chapters within 13 months. “But there is no time for complacency. Albania must continue to work even harder to meet the requirements and conclude the negotiations.”
McAllister outlined three key priorities: fighting corruption, advancing electoral reform and safeguarding political stability.
On anti-corruption efforts, he said momentum must be maintained and the justice system fully staffed and free from political interference. Politicians – he added – should lead by example. He noted that despite progress, challenges remain, referring to a recent international index in which Albania fell 11 places.
Regarding electoral reform, McAllister called for a genuine, inclusive overhaul implemented well ahead of the next elections and in line with recommendations from the OSCE/ODIHR.
He also stressed the need to strengthen freedom of expression and media pluralism, including greater transparency over media ownership and stronger safeguards to protect journalists from political pressure and attacks.
While reiterating that the EU enlargement process is merit-based and each country is assessed on its own progress, McAllister expressed concern over political polarisation in Albania.
“We are concerned about political polarisation in the country. Violent protests have no place in a functioning democracy,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming the European Parliament’s support for Albania’s EU ambitions, underscoring that respect for the rule of law, the fight against corruption and political stability remain essential for successful accession.
/gj.m/r.e/a.f/u.sh/
