Schulz: Elections, a precondition

He says that the elections play a major role, since they are the basic element which shows that democracy exists. Schulz also says that the free media is also as important as the free elections.

TCH: The European Parliament voted a resolution for Albania. What should the country do to deserve the candidate status?

Schulz: I think the atmosphere changed very goodly. The dialogue among the parties is better. The dialogue among the institutions has improved. The atmosphere in general is better than in the last years. there are still problems, but I think that this tension will be reduced in the best possible way to win the candidate status sooner or later.

TCH: The test for the elections was not included in the conclusions of the Council of Ministers. If you remember our last interview a few days before the progress-report, I would like to ask you once again about the importance of the general elections for the candidate status.

Schulz: “Free and honest elections, in full accordance with the international standards, with the standards of the Commission of Venice, are a precondition not only for Albania, but for every country in the relations with the EU. If the elections are free and honest, it shows that the basic element of democracy exists. So it is free, honest and independent elections. For this reason I think that they play a major role.”

TCH: What is your position for the political pressures to the media freedom?

Schulz: “You know that there is still too much to do. The media freedom is not 100% guaranteed. This is an appeal in all progress reports, so that the media freedom can be guaranteed. Since this is a regular element of the progress report, I appeal that the media freedom is as important as free and honest elections”.

By Arta Tozaj

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