Albania progresses towards EU

Brussels is looking to further expand east to Western Balkans EU hopefuls Albania, Bosnia and Serbia.

European Commission reports on progress in the three countries towards EU laws and standards are generally optimistic.

Albania has been negotiating a the first step to EU membership – a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) for over two years.

Noting progress across the board on political, judicial and economic reforms, EU enlargement chief Olli Rehn believes a deal can be sealed for Tirana to take a first step towards the EU.

“The commission considers that the progress achieved so far paves the way for the closure of these negotiations,” said a statement.

Key priorities for Albania will be “concrete results” in the fights against organised crime and corruption.

Media freedom and state restitution or compensation for confiscated real estate also top the EU demands.

Funding for Albania in 2004 and 2005 totals €107.5 million.

Rehn has recommended that the EU open SAA talks with Bosnia but moves towards independent self-rule will be critical if Sarajevo is to complete the first step towards EU membership.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is presently governed by an English lord, Paddy Ashdown, in the Office of the High EU Special Representative, a post created in 1995.

The protectorate set up by the Dayton Peace Agreement in the aftermath of Balkans civil war is now run by the EU.

Usually the EU enters into negotiations with sovereign national states, giving contemporary Bosnia an awkward status.

SAA talks with Serbia were opened by the EU on October 10 with short term priorities on the handing over of war crime suspects, democratic, military and judicial reform.

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