The 11 SA Council Between the EU and Albania Confirms Albania’s Path To the EU
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In the 11th Meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council between the EU and Albania, the SA Council took note of and reviewed progress in reform areas, commending “Albania’s determination in the pursuit of its EU reform agenda,” giving particular emphasis to the vetting process and the resuming of the functionality of the Constitutional Court and the High Court. The meeting was chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, and saw the participation of the Albanian delegation which was led by the Prime Minister of Albania, and the presence of the Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Olivér Várhelyi, who represented the European Commission.
In the joint statement, the SA Council took positive note that “Albania’s new specialised bodies to fight anti-corruption and organised crime have started to operate.” The SA Council emphasized the need for the continuation of the reforms, especially in the appointments of judges and investigators “as well as the continued processing of pending cases and of further strengthening the track record of law enforcement.” One of the main issues discussed in the meeting were also the forthcoming elections. The SA Council “agreed on the need for further follow-up on all the aspects covered by the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, as well as Venice Commission recommendations […] Constructive and inclusive dialogue between political parties and cooperation in Albania’s parliament will be essential for further progress on reforms and for the overall sustainability of the engagement in the EU integration process.”
