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Conditional opening of EU accession talks for Albania: European Commission

Xinhua, November 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Commission recommended Wednesday the conditional opening of the accession talks for Albania, local media here reported.

The news was announced when the European Commission released the Progress Report on Albania for 2016 on Wednesday.

Albania has continued to make steady progress towards fulfilling all of the five key priorities for the opening of accession negotiations, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn said while presenting the progress report on Albania.

According to him, Albania unanimously adopted pivotal constitutional amendments in July 2016, launching a thorough and comprehensive judicial reform process system.

Hahn said that Commission recommended the conditional opening of the accession negotiations with Albania, while he noted that opening of talks is subject to credible and tangible progress in the implementation of the justice reform, in particular with regard to the re-evaluation of judges and prosecutors, so-called vetting law.

The news for the conditional opening of accession talks for Albania was highly praised by the Albanian authorities.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the decision is the result of the reforms that Albania has undertaken in the last three years.

Albanian Minister of Integration Klajda Gjosha also praised such decision, saying that the opening of accession means more work to be done and more responsibilities for the Albanian political class to continue the reforms.

Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati greeted the Commission's decision, stressing that it marked a new start for Albania. Endit