EP condemns opposition’s boycott in Albania and Macedonia. Serbia criticized

Albania and Montenegro had a better presentation during the debate on the European Integration of the region, which took more than three hours at the Foreign Committee of the European Parliament. The candidate status, the political will for implementing the reforms and for approaching the Albanian policy with the European one, allowed Minister Bushati to ask starting the negotiations for accession to the EU, and also for more concrete and economic projects from the Berlin process.

“Certainly, we see the candidate status as a temporary step towards membership and the negotiation talks for accession. We hope for a credible and predictable process, since we see the start of the negotiations as a way to focus better on what remains to be seen, especially as regards the rule of law, through the opening of chapters 23 and 24. The integration process needs to be more dynamic and more efficient”, Bushati declared.

“I can confirm what the Foreign Minister said about the visibly successful work that we support. The problems remain at the political culture and the cooperation between the political parties in parliament, between the government and the opposition. They should work better to fulfill their respective duties. There is a series of possibilities which are being discussed. Albania is generally on the right track, as the Commission’s report says. Certainly, we know that significant steps remain to be taken with the judiciary, in the fight against corruption and the fight for a more transparent administration. We need to support these efforts as a political group, as Parliament and at the Commission as well. We hope that the negotiations with Albania will start as soon as possible”, declared Knut Fleckenstein, rapporteur for Albania.

“The relations of Serbia with Kosovo and of Kosovo with Albania should get better. The Parliamentary boycott that is taking place in Albania and Macedonia is turning into a very concerning practice”, declared Eduard Kukan, Head of the Delegation for Serbia.

“Look at Albania and Macedonia. The boycott must end. It is destructive for thouse countries”, declared Victor Bostinaru, Romanian European MP.

The Albanian Foreign Minister declared that the visit of Prime Minsiter Rama in Belgrade was a turning point that was valued as positive during the debate. His Serbian counterpart reminded the football match and the “Greater Albania” during some harsh debates with the Croatian MPs, who asked him to condemn the hate speech of Vojislav Sheshel.

“Your arrogance will not pass in this Parliament”, they told Dacic right after his speech, and insisted for a clear stance of Serbia against Sheshel, rather than talking about their neighbors.

“It is very easy for us with problems. We are against anyone who compromises stability and the rule of law in Balkan, including the Nazi and chauvinist speeches in Serbia, and I am not talking about Sheshel. You can hear these speeches in Croatia, or things about Greater Albania. We had a football match in Belgrade where you could hear about these things. We want peace in the region and that’s why you should be very careful with the progress that we have reached so far for normalizing the relations”, declared Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia.

“First of all, we need to implement the relations reached so far, without renegotiating them, and without deviating it during the intermediated process. Secondly, we need a complete dissolution of the Serbian parallel structures in the territory of Kosovo. Thirdly, we need a full integration of the Kosovo Serbis in the state institutions. Fourth, we need a full accession of Kosovo in the entire international system, including the UN. Fifth, we need a mutual recognition. This is the approach of how Kosovo and Serbia can have a complete normalization of their relations”, declared Enver Hoxhaj, Foreign Minister of Kosovo.

“We have not decided yet on the topics for dialogue”, Dacic reacted, by expressing with joy that he was not anymore in charge for the talks.

Other requests of the Kosovo Foreign Minister were a peace treaty with Serbia and settomg a date for the visa liberalization of Kosovo. This was supported by rapporteur Lunacek, who appealed for changes in the country, and who wished that Kosovo would soon be able to make phone call without a prefix from Slovenia or Monaco.

Prepared by: ARTA TOZAJ

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