EC: Debt and deficit remain a problem

Economic situation in Albania is a positive one, regarding the macro-economic tendency. Future projections support the preservation of the positive performance for 2012-2014. Consumption and private investments are expected to grow, and of course, measures are taken to stimulate this direction”, declared Mimoza Halimi, Ambassador of Albania at the EU.

However, Vassilis Maragos, Chief of Unit for Albania in European Comission, expressed clear doses of skepticism: “The economy continues to present a number of vulnerabilities. I think it is important to keep the macro-economic framework, and in particular the level of debt and also the deficit under control. Actually, the World Bank is about to prepare structural reform loans in order to help the country keep that level, in order to protect the country from the negative effect of the outside environment but also of the internal weaknesses. One of these weaknesses is the high unemployment. Another weakness is the lack of structural reforms, the problems sometimes with the enforcing ability of the contracts, some weaknesses in the whole framework of the property rights. The other element that I would like to stress as regards the economy is indeed the possible impact of the political situation we discussed before on the economy”.

Besides the political and economic part, during the preparatory meeting for the inter-parliamentary Committee with Albania, Maragos ranked the positive achievementts and the stalemates of Albania with the other unfulfilled conditions, part of the famous 12 criteria.

“I cite quote as an example the very good cooperation with the Ombudsman, who is a champion of human rights, including the rights of detainees, with the Police, with which they have a very good system on following the recommendations of the Ombudsman. Something similar started with the prisons, but things there it is a bit slower, I would say. However, there are problems of implementation, for instance with the disabled persons. There are still some efforts to be made in this field. It requires also some investments by the authorities. And the other area, which is very sensitive, and there we haven’t seen a lot, in terms of implementation. Is the area of the Roma integration”, Maragos added.

Despite the work that has been done since the last report, and when not much time has remained until the next report, Albania has fulfilled only one and a half from the 12 criteria set since November 2010.

Prepared by: Ernest Bunguri

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