11
Jul
2023
Watch
2022 Report on Albania (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, it is a real pleasure to see you among us. Often our friendly country of Albania is seen in a package with North Macedonia and the country is often the victim of a lack of progress in its eastern neighbour, and this lack of progress is, of course, due to the unwillingness of the authorities in Skopje to implement human rights protections, but this is another topic. When this has happened, we have always pointed out that the joint consideration of the two applications is unfair. However, Albania needs to continue reforms in the areas of fundamental rights, rule of law and justice in order to make rapid progress on its path towards the European Union. The plans for a fiscal amnesty, which would allow up to €2 million to be deposited in the Albanian bank account without disclosing the origin of the funds, are a cause for concern. Albania can and must prove that it cannot be suspected of being the centre of any grey deals in Europe and Albania, and Tirana must make it clear that it is determined to tackle this problem and does not allow through a question of new policies the country to be a front for illegal activity. Only swift reforms and decisive steps in the fight against corruption and organised crime will lead to a swift completion of the negotiation process. The direction of recognition of the rights and legitimate interests of minorities in Albania, including the Bulgarian one, is correct and deserves congratulations. At the end of the day, Albania deserves to be a member of the European Union because it has completed its homework, because it supports pan-European policies, and because it ultimately shares what even a person like me understands as European values. So good luck to Albania in the negotiations with the European Union.