The French former Foreign Minister, Bernard Kushner, expects the
European Union to start Albania’s accession negotiations this year.
In an opinion published on “Financial Times”, just a few months afer his visit in Albania, during its political crisis for the judiciary reform, Kushneri says that the accession negotiations are expected to happen after the elections and after the Trieste summit this July.
Kushner considers “as insignificant” voices that the EU will stop enlarging due to Brexit and the increasing nationalism. He is very optimistic for Western Balkan.
Kushner said that the answer of the EU will be positive, within at least two negotiation processes. He said that the EU is aiming to keep the six Western Balkan countries on the EU path, especially after the interventions in Albania and Macedonia. Albania’s case serves as an example for him.
“The Democratic Party entered a protest tent asking Rama to resign. They boycotted the parliament and were never clear why, while keeping speeches inside the tent which could be held in Parliament”, said the former Foreign Minister of France.
For him it was clear that the Democratic Party was blocking the judiciary reform with that protest, the last requirement of the EU before opening the accession negotiations.
Kushner says that Brussels acted immediately. Mogherini and the enlargement negotiator, Christian Danielsson, led the delegations which had talks with the party leaders, until an agreement was reached.
Kushner said that Rama’s key request to this dialogue was the judiciary reform before elections. And this was the reason that the talks didn’t continue. Kushner describes Rama as a very sophisticated leader, an artist of international fame, former Basketball player, polyglot and who doesn’t sell slogans, different from others.
Rama also sees the EU accession as the key to stabilize Balkan and the disagreements in the region. He appealed Brussels to accelerate the process and stop this way the advancement of Russian influence.
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