(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 14 - Albania is celebrating the
centenary of its independence this year and according to the
Deputy Prime Minister, Edmond Haxhinasto, "2012 will be a year
of opportunities for EU integration". Haxhinasto's message was
aimed at Euro MPs meeting at the European Parliament's Foreign
Affairs Commission ahead of the EU-Albania association council.
After two years of political stasis in the country, "the spirit of collaboration between parties is consolidated and we are all responsible for the progress made towards integration," the deputy PM said. Tirana's objective is not to gain the status of candidate country for EU accession as part of the European Commission's annual enlargement report in the autumn. To meet this goal, the country will not only need to approve parliamentary reforms and push through the reform of the electoral system before the next presidential contest, but also show tangible results from the new season of collaboration between the government and the opposition. "We are here to say that dialogue is ongoing and has allowed us to reach results," said the Minister for European Integration, Majilinda Bregu. "We still have a long road ahead of us, but we ask to be judged on the basis of the progress that we have made".
According to Nikolaos Chountis, a Greek Euro MP and rapporteur on Albania, if the results demanded from Brussels are delivered, "the European Parliament wants to send a positive message to the Albanian people and we would like you to be able to celebrate the anniversary of your independence as a candidate country" for EU accession. (ANSAmed).
After two years of political stasis in the country, "the spirit of collaboration between parties is consolidated and we are all responsible for the progress made towards integration," the deputy PM said. Tirana's objective is not to gain the status of candidate country for EU accession as part of the European Commission's annual enlargement report in the autumn. To meet this goal, the country will not only need to approve parliamentary reforms and push through the reform of the electoral system before the next presidential contest, but also show tangible results from the new season of collaboration between the government and the opposition. "We are here to say that dialogue is ongoing and has allowed us to reach results," said the Minister for European Integration, Majilinda Bregu. "We still have a long road ahead of us, but we ask to be judged on the basis of the progress that we have made".
According to Nikolaos Chountis, a Greek Euro MP and rapporteur on Albania, if the results demanded from Brussels are delivered, "the European Parliament wants to send a positive message to the Albanian people and we would like you to be able to celebrate the anniversary of your independence as a candidate country" for EU accession. (ANSAmed).
