The Council of Ministers of the European Union demands that Albania respect and implement the decisions of the Constitutional Court. In the conclusions made public by the Council of Ministers of the EU for the countries of the Western Balkans, which aspire to join the union, Albania is evaluated with positive marks in the field of justice reform and the rule of law, but recommends that the justice reform be consolidated more further and provide impartiality.
"The Council positively notes the continuous implementation of justice by Albania, a reform which should be consolidated, offering further improvements in the impartiality, independence and professionalism of the judicial system. The Council also welcomes the advancement of the vetting process and in particular the completion of the case proceedings at the beginning for example, and encourages Albania to complete the entire process in a timely manner. The Council reiterates that the binding decisions of the Constitutional Court must be fully respected and implemented."
The EU requires Albania to strengthen checks on high-level officials as well as increase investigations to protect the EU's financial interests.
"The Council positively evaluates the good results achieved by the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure Specialists (SPAK) and its courts, including high-level cases of corruption and good cooperation with EU law enforcement and member states. This should continue, including cooperation on financial investigations, should be strengthened. Consolidated controls and capacities are also needed to protect the EU's financial interests".
Addressing the OSCE-ODIHR recommendations for electoral reform is considered by the EU Council, also known as the Council of Ministers, as one of the main issues that must be resolved by politics in Albania, while it has requested that the parties engage in a constructive dialogue , as political polarization, as highlighted in the report, also affects parliamentary life. The reform in the public administration is considered an important progress for Albania, encouraging to continue its implementation.
Meanwhile, media freedom in Albania remains a concern as it is not for progress.
"The Council calls on Albania to continue to strengthen the protection of fundamental rights, including the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and notes with concern that no progress has been made in freedom of the media and freedom of expression and the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Albania must step up its efforts to strengthen media independence and pluralism by increasing the transparency of media ownership and ensuring a safe and secure environment for journalists."
These conclusions of the Council of Ministers, approved on the same day when Albania held the third intergovernmental conference for the opening of 2 more chapters, will be forwarded to the leaders of 27 countries at the EU summit to be held on the 19 December. (A2 Televizion)
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