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Albania hails EU over candidate status, prospect of membership talks

17 October 2013 01:21 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Albania hailed a report by the European Commission on Wednesday for recommending candidate status for Albania and starting membership talks if a series of key conditions were met, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Speaking after EU's Enlargement Commissioner Stephan Fuele had recommended candidate status for Albania provided it kept fighting corruption, Prime Minister Edi Rama said the move encouraged Albanians to carry forward reforms.

"The novelty this time is that the report speaks of the real possibility of opening talks for membership if we meet some key conditions, which we agree with 100 percent," Rama told a news conference after receiving the progress report on Albania.

Fuele noted Albania had achieved progress on carrying forward key reforms set as benchmarks since 2010 and its parliamentary elections in June were generally quiet and orderly.

Albania has to demonstrate its commitment to fighting crime and corruption until December when the heads of states and governments of the European Union meet to officially grant it the candidate status.

The month-old Socialist-led coalition government has already launched a war on illegal gambling, construction and wood-cutting and several officials have been prosecuted for abuse of funds.

Probable membership talks hinge on Albania's work against corruption and organized crime, strengthening the judiciary, reforming the administration and protecting basic freedoms and rights, including those of the Roma community.

Ettore Sequi, the EU's ambassador to Albania, appealed for inclusiveness in pushing forward the EU agenda, which at times has polarized the parties rather than uniting them.

The opposition Democratic Party has practically boycott parliament over the law governing the public administration, saying the government killed consensus reached before the elections by delaying its application.

The government said it was forced to postpone its effect by six months because the law was not applicable. Parliament is scheduled to vote the bill into law on Thursday.