Nikolas Löbel, the German MP of the CDU, party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, and also member of the Foreign Committee in the German Bundestag, co-rapporteur for Albania, had a phone interview from Berlin with Top Channel.
Nikolas Löbel: It is an unusual decision. The Democracy takes place in Parliament. The Albanian people have voted the Parliament and they trust that this Parliament will defend democracy and the society. This is why I think that it is a wrong decision that the opposition is renouncing their mandates, and leaving the house of democracy.
How will this decision affect the decision of June, regarding Albania’s EU accession negotiationms?
Nikolas Löbel: The Promise given to Western Balkans in 2003, that they will be part of Europe, Germany and the rest of Europe want to keep that. The only decision this summer will be for Albania and Northern Macedonia. More than 90% of the Albanian population want to become members of the EU, part of the European family. This is what we also want. I think that Albania expects us to decide, after such a long time, to start the negotiations this summer. But the EU accession is a responsibility that doesn’t belong only to the government or only to the opposition. It is up to the entire Albanian society to become part of the EU. We need the political will of the government and opposition to achieve this. The decision to renounce the mandates is not good for this purpose.
Nikolas Löbel gave another message for the government and the opposition:
Nikolas Löbel: I have heard that that they are saying that some German MPs have advised them to renounce the mandates. It is not true. We are friends and we want to continue our path towards Albania’s EU accession negotiations. This is in the best interest of Germans, the path that we want Albania to be. That’s where we want to support you in any form, with the economy, tourism, electoral reform, judiciary reform, fight against corruption, etc.
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