Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-06-Speech-3-058"
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"en.20060906.5.3-058"2
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"I would like to thank Mr Toomas Hendrik Ilves for his thorough and detailed report.
The path of Albania towards the European Union is probably the rockiest one in comparison with other countries of the continent. The 20th century was not kind to the country, which was at the very bottom in terms of many economic and social indicators even before World War II. Later, the term ‘Albanianisation’ emerged as a synonym for the isolationist policy that was enforced by the then regime and that was also associated with under-development. The scars of Albanian isolation from the world are still much deeper than in any other post-Communist state.
Today, Albania, just as other Western Balkan countries, is attracted by the magnetism of the European Union. Namely this attraction is accelerating reforms, strengthening democracy and human rights, and thus improving the lives of citizens. However, during my visit to Albania I noticed the crackling tension between the majority and the opposition, targeted not at competition but rather at the desire to destroy each other. They easily promise half of the state budget to combat corruption and crime, but no specific results have yet materialised.
Regional cooperation to overcome the ghosts of the past should be the area where Albania demonstrates the flexibility and European character of its foreign policy. The decisive stages of negotiations concerning the status of Kosovo will become a litmus test revealing Tirana’s constructive position or the very opposite. I have no doubt that this will also determine whether Albania is mature enough for EU membership, which in any case is still far off.
The implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and sharing the experience of the states which were successful in approaching and joining the European Union, should help Albania reach a decisive turn on the path towards Europe."@en1
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