German Minister for Europe: EU must keep its promise with Albania

“The European Commission will publish the annual reports for the six Western Balkan countries and will recommend opening the EU accession negotiations for Albania and Northern Macedonia, certifying that these two countries have done their homework and have fulfilled the conditions given by the Council during the last year. It is now up to the EU to do its homework. We stand to our word and we keep our promises”, Michael Roth said.

Michael Roth

As early as 2003, the EU heads of state and government opened up the prospect of accession to the entire region of the Western Balkans. They have renewed this promise again in 2018. The EU Commission will publish its annual country reports on all six countries of the Western Balkans this Wednesday and recommend starting EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. It claims that the two countries have done their “homework” and fulfilled the conditions imposed on them by the Council last year. Now it is up to the EU to “deliver”. We stand in the word and should keep our promises. Because for the Western Balkans much is at stake. And for theEU is about vital security interests and their own credibility.

For many young people in Albania and northern Macedonia, the united Europe of shared values ​​has lost nothing of its appeal. The young generation is overwhelmingly anxious for democracy, the rule of law, prosperity, security and freedom. The EU has learned lessons from past accessions and is already demanding a lot from the candidate countries before negotiations begin. The governments of Albania and North Macedonia are working on an ambitious reform agenda and have made tangible progress. In both countries, populations and governments are proving over and over again that they are ready to make painful compromises on EU rapprochement.

By resolving the name dispute against all opposition, North Macedonia and Greece have written European history. This means that the EU Commission has been recommending the launching of accession negotiations since 2009, as Greece is no longer blocking it. In addition, the government has set the course for the EU’s reform priorities, such as public administration, intelligence control and anti-corruption. In short: Northern Macedonia is on a consistent course of reform.

In Albania, the situation is more complicated at first sight. The main reason is that the opposition repeatedly succeeds in producing dramatic images – instead of constructively benchmarking itself in the political competition of ideas with the government in parliament, which is the one in the country Opposition currently boycotted. But this irresponsible obstructionist policy must not blind us to what the country does. As part of the reform of the judiciary, all judges and prosecutors will be examined for integrity in a process that has so far been unique in the world – accompanied by European experts. About two-thirds of the senior persons examined so far failed the test. They were consistently removed from their posts and these now reconditioned step by step.EU border agency Frontex. Albania has already traveled a long distance on the way to the EU ; Incidentally, it has been a member of NATO since 2009.

The stabilization and connection of the region is in the European, but above all German interest. After all, the Western Balkans is the courtyard of the European house. The situation in countries with their situation in the middle of Europe, completely surrounded by EU member states , concerns us directly. If the EU turns its back on this region, it will jeopardize positive developments and leave the field to other actors such as Russia, China or Turkey. And that the EUpermanently losing influence in the Western Balkans, we can not be interested in that. Above all, the European Union’s foreign policy success is determined by whether we permanently pacify, stabilize and democratize the whole of Europe. Therefore, it is now foresighted to act smart and courageous.

It is clear that the path to EU accession is long and subject to clear conditions. It is not a question of automatic accession, but rather the first stage of a process that has lasted for years. Ultimately, the prospect of accession for the countries of the Western Balkans is a huge opportunity – also for the EU . We are sending an important signal to the entire region: Difficult reforms and reconciliation are worthwhile. And to the EU you can trust. Successful efforts in the applicant countries must be followed by concrete progress in the accession process. Only warm words do not carry, otherwise the promise of accession becomes a hollow phrase. The Western Balkans remains a litmus test of the lasting success of the European model, which combines democracy, freedom and the rule of law with security and prosperity. Our values ​​may have come under pressure, but they remain our most important export hit.

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