Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-10-06-Speech-3-165"
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"en.20101006.14.3-165"2
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"Mr President, I am glad that tonight we can finally say to the people of Albania and Bosnia: ‘You have not been forgotten’.
I hope that the vote in plenary tomorrow will show a strong commitment by this Parliament to visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia. The EPP urges the Council to respect their undertaking in the joint declaration adopted by the Swedish Presidency to grant a visa-free regime as soon as possible.
Now that the benchmarks have been met – according to the European Commission – the people of Albania and Bosnia should see the light at the end of the tunnel and get visa-free travel to EU-Schengen by Christmas.
The EPP has been fully committed to accelerating the process of visa liberalisation, treating all the countries of the Western Balkans equally. We have pursued a consistent, realistic and credible line all the way through, supporting the authorities and taking the responsibility for the reform process while respecting the legitimate security concerns of European citizens.
I sincerely regret that false expectations were raised with unrealistic timetables, and I am pleased that the other part of this House has finally joined our realistic path, accepting that, unfortunately, there were no possible shortcuts. We were ready when they were ready. Now they are ready, and we congratulate the authorities of Bosnia and Albania for their achievements in pursing the reforms.
Strengthening the rule of law, combating crime and corruption are important for the people of the region and help close the gap with the European Union. People-to-people contact, as Commissioner Malmström said, and breaking the sense of isolation, are important to promote stability in the region in a European perspective.
I experienced the siege of Sarajevo and was in the war in Bosnia for years. The plea of the people who felt locked in and left behind is really close to my heart and has been at the basis of my commitment since I entered this House in the summer of 2009."@en1
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