After two days of debate at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Stabilization and Association of EU-Albania, the majority and the opposition have come up with a joint statement through which they will ask the member countries of the union to recommend a date for opening negotiations. The announcement was made by the head of this committee Monica Macovei at the conclusion of the two-day meeting that took place in Tirana, which seemed to be optimistic about the decision of the European Commission.

Monica Macovei:

“I believe the European Commission will give a date for opening negotiations and lobbying the Council to vote in favor of opening negotiations”.

But from the joint committee table, Ms. Macovei demanded from the Albanian government concrete results in the fight against crime and corruption, and in particular asked to end the phenomenon of the vote buying.

Monica Macovei:

“The EU expects from Albania intensified efforts and measurable results. It is not enough just to compare with the past, but the government should move forward and see positive examples in Europe. I have heard that there is no corruption only in Albania but also in other countries. What is the problem if there is corruption? It is not a good argument if you say we are not the only country we have corruption and other countries. I would recommend you not to use this argument”.

The recommendations of the Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee of the EU-Albania include some of the proposals made by the Democratic Party, including the fight against the vote buying phenomenon, the investigation of high-ranking officials without defense, and the resolution of property issues./tvklan.al