EU calls for referendum in Albania to pass judicial reform

Albania should hold a referendum if the country's judicial reform fails to be adopted, said European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn on Wednesday.

Hahn has also noted that accession negotiations with the EU could be postponed by a year and a half.

The commissioner on Tuesday urged Albanian politicians to respect the people's will, as more than 90 percent of citizens are in favor of judicial reforms, which includes a bid to fight corruption.

The reform included checking the incomes and property holdings of judges and prosecutors, a step seen as helping to root out bribery.

"There is a deadline for the adoption of this reform, which is Thursday of this week. A decision should be made within this time," according to Albanian Daily News on Wednesday quoting Hahn's statement.

He also called for transparency and openness during the process, warning that failure to adopt the reform could undermine the country's possibility of entering the 28-nation bloc.

U.S. Ambassador Donald Lu on Tuesday warned Albanian politicians that the country would face negative consequences from the United States if the reforms were not adopted.

Lu has expressed his frustration over the failure of reaching a consensus on several occasions. The last opportunity was on Monday evening when no deal was reached after eight hours of trying.

Warning of severe and long-lasting consequences for those lawmakers who vote against judicial reform, Lu called for a courageous vote in favor of the reform on Thursday. Endi