Fule: Elections, a lost chance

Top-Channel – Albania failed for the second consequent time with the candidate status. Which is your comment for a country that considers EU integration as a priority, but doesn’t fulfill the necessary conditions?

Fule – It failed both, on the candidate status and starting the negotiations. I think the most important findings is that to a large extend the year has been lost, and the continuation of the political stalemate. We have tried to be as subjective as we could be, in the assessment of the progress and the 12 key priorities defined by us last year. And the progress report I hope is an objective picture, a kind of X-Ray of Albania’s “European health”. Unfortunately, none of these issues were fulfilled. Now, it is not probably the most important to look behind and try to find out what has happened and why. I think the time has come to look into the future, and I hope that the today’s progress report, and the part related to Albania, would be both: a kind of wake up call for the politicians there, and also one more serious encouragement for politicians to overcome the personal distrust which apparently does not allow the government on its side to create the conditions for an all inclusive European process, and for the opposition to play a constructive role in that process. I think both sides have a lot of work to regain that trust. We have identified the progress to issues on which we could be helpful for regaining the trust, the electoral reform on one side, where we are being helped by the OSCE and the Venice Commission; and delivering the 12 key priorities, where the cooperation between the government and the opposition is needed, is a perquisite, for Albania delivering on its action plan and on the list of the 12 key priorities.

Top-Channel – In fact, the ruling coalition is stating that we didn’t get the candidate status due to the opposition’s boycott, and their failure to vote the laws that require qualified majority, without mentioning here the Parliament Speaker, which called the opposition “an anti-European cellule”. Do you think that this is a right position for the majority? Is the opposition the only one to blame?

Fule – We have always tried not to play this blame game, and like I said, on various times, I see that the balance is not the same. But I think that you need two for a tango, and you need a government and an opposition to talk to each other, and have that kind of European dance together. What is sad is that everybody stands ready to help. The Commission, the European Parliament. I had today a discussion with the European Parliament, with the Foreign Committee on the progress report, and I again heard the commitment of the European Parliament to help. But a long time ago, the two Foreign Minister visited Tirana, two Foreign Ministers representing two biggest families in the European Parliament.  We worked together, we are integrating our assistance, and all of that is being put on the table, and it’s up to the politicians in Albania to use it once they decide they want to move on the current political stalemate.

Top-Channel – In fact, why they visited Tirana in September, and not in June, when Albania’s matter was raised at the European Council. Was there any specific information, or this was decided due to their agenda?

Fule- I think it was a very appropriate timing. It was at the time of the finalization of our progress-report and I hope very much that the momentum they have created is not going to be wasted, because today we are presenting the progress report, and tomorrow we are starting the period until the next progress report. I know about some positive signs of our coming in Tirana. About the opposition being back in the Parliament, about the 10 points plan…

Top-Channel – What do you think about this pact?

Fule – Whatever plan which would enable the parties to define the common ground and move them forward, is a good plan. Do I wish that such a proposal should have come a year ago? Yes I would. But does it mean that it is already too late? No, it does not. It’s about grasping the opportunity and using it to the benefit of the Albanian citizens, because, after all, they are becoming hostage of this political stalemate.

Top-Channel – Is it possible that Albania might get the candidate status, if it will fulfill some conditions, before next autumn, before the next enlargement package.

Fule-Albania needs to deliver the 12 key priorities. It is correct that under the current circumstances we report on this issue in the framework of the next progress report. But does it mean that if there is a political breakthrough and if there is indeed an inclusive environment and Albania starts deliver beyond any doubt the 12 key priorities that we could not think about the alternative calendar, I would be the last one to say no if it helps Albania to grasp the momentum created by Albanian politicians. But you are asking me about the second step. The first step is for the Albanian politicians to create this momentum.

Top-Channel – During SAA Council, you and Baroness Ashton urged Albania for an electoral and constitutional reform. Beside the other important constitutional amends, and also the Parliament Regulation, do you think that the Presidential election should be part of this reform?

Fule – Albania is a sovereign country and it is not up to the Commission to set up the rules for electing the President, Parliament and so on. What we are keen to see is that the legislation corresponds to the European principles, and European values, that is being based on the OSCE recommendations, and in this case also on the recommendations of the Venice Commission, which has come to assistance. And these are the most important issues.  We have the assessment of the last local elections, and as far as I am concerned, despite some positive elements, it was a missed opportunity to regain the confidence, especially among the opposition and the government. Hopefully now there is a clear report for what needs to be done, by the OSCE, and in a couple of weeks we will hopefully receive a clear recommendation by the Venice Commission. We will create a framework for the government and opposition to sit and agree on necessary legislative changes, which would make sure that the next elections in Albania will not become a source of frictions and tensions. That’s the most important.

Top-Channel – As we are here, as you know, this year was marked by the tragic events of January 21st and the local elections. What was your feeling during these events? Why did you cancel your visit on January and the next visit in May, with the President Barroso.

Fule – I think we made it clear at that time, but let me say again that as far as the Managing Director of the External Action Service, Miroslav Lajcak was going there and not me, was something on what we have agreed with the higher representative, Catherine Ashton, since this issue was having real political consequences. As for the visit of the President of the European Commission… whenever you are going somewhere, you have a set of expectations. Particularly in the case of the President of the European Commission, you’re looking for a constructive discussions and the conducive environment of that visit. At that time, it would have come in the middle of overheated debate, in the middle of a political stalemate, without any prospect of moving the things forward even an inch. That made the President of the Commission to make such a decision. It was not at all abandoning the Albanians. It was not at all thinking that Albania is not important. I hoped that the political parties would understand that the message was addressing them. “Please make sure that whenever we plan such a visit next time, I feel really like welcome and feel like we’re talking constructively about the issues which would bring Albania closer to the European Union, eventually to the European Union.

Top-Channel – My last question, because of the timing, will be on the media freedom. As you know, the television for which I work for has been constantly under threat for the destruction of its premises, since criticism is not very welcome. I wanted to know your opinion on what the Albanian government should do for promoting the freedom of media and what happens if it will not respect its commitments.  

Fule – This is an issue which we have followed attentively for some time. This is also the issue which I wrote also the Prime Minister. This is the issue which was the center of our debate at the time of the Speak Up Conference, in the beginning of May, dealing very much with the freedom of expression and media. I sent to the Prime Minister the conclusions of that conference and I asked him to see that Albania, the authorities deliver on these conclusions. Today I announced after the College adopted the Progress Report, a new approach to this issue and actually meeting the commitment I made at the time of the Speak Up Conference. At that time I said that without the freedom of expression that could be hardly any real transformation, so more needs to be done to ensure the free media in the candidate countries. While announcing today the chapter 23 and 24 of the membership negotiations, dealing with the fundamental rights and judicial reforms, will be opened among the first and closing among the last one, to see the track record of the candidate countries delivering, I also made an announcement that for the first time will be reflecting the freedom of expression, the freedom of media, more profoundly in that framework. Being able to not only monitor, but also to help our candidate countries delivering on this very important aspect.

Prepared by: Arta TOZAJ

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