Integration, not a walk in the park

Elio di Rupo: Albania’s fate is in the European Union, and there is no doubt about this. But the European Commission has made a very careful analysis of Albania’s inner situation, and the country should concretize its laws and change several things. There must be transparency in the electoral processes, in an undisputable way, from the moment when the citizens vote and until the final result. Everything must be correct and transparent, and there should be no doubts. We also have the judicial aspects, which must improve the way how officials are appointed in many posts. There are also the Parliamentary rules, the way how the Parliament must really control the government, since in a modern democracy it is always the Parliament that controls the government, and not vice versa. The future of Albania is in Europe, but as the European Commission has made clear, and this is Belgium’s opinion too, first they must realize these interior changes. If these changes, the transparency and the concretization of the laws will not be realized, it is clear that there will be delays for the EU membership. As the Socialist Party leader declared, who also defends Albania’s EU candidacy, everyone wants to help this process, but all reforms must be realized first.

Top Channel: Mr. Di Rupo, do you think that Albania deserves today the support of Belgium for the candidate status?

Elio di Rupo: Yes, but what we are saying should be heard in a better way. You do not enter the EU as if you take a walk in the park. There are conditions that demand respecting all basic transparency rules the rules of democracy, the independent judicial system, so that the Parliament can become the place from where the government is controlled. I repeat that you cannot enter the EU in the same way as you take a walk in a park. We agree to make it possible for Albania to be an EU member in the future, and we think that the future of all Balkan countries is at the EU. But the necessary efforts should be made for guaranteeing transparency as in all other countries, with transparency and the power division.

Top Channel: You think that there are problems with Albania’s power division?

Elio Di Rupo: It’s not me who thinks it, but the European Commission that has made a report. The European Commission is very clear about this. It’s all about reading and respecting what the European Commission is saying, and Albania’s EU integration would accelerate.

Prepared by: ARTA TOZAJ

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