EP Coordinator Warns Rama against ‘Provoking Friends’ of Albania in Brussels

It has been harsh and straightforward the criticism of the Coordinator for Foreign Policy and Enlargement in the European Parliament, Michael Gahler against Albanian government for its unfriendly attitudes towards the European Union, launching slanders for its assistance and by making agreements with third parties in violation of European law.
“The government in Tirana should not provoke the friends of European Albania, either by denying these conditions or by slandering the EU for its assistance or by making agreements with third parties in violation of European law,” said EU coordinator Gahler as quoted by Albanian media on Friday.
It’s to be noted that when Gahler referred to ‘third parties’ he hinted Turkey from where PM Edi Rama levelled harsh criticism against EU on a visit during which a strategic partnership acoord was signed.
Gahler also pointed out the unfulfilled conditions from Albania for the start of the accession negotiations with the Union and appealed to the government to meet and not deny the conditions.
“The conclusions of the European Council are known, the recommendations of the Venice Commission are known, the text and spirit of the June 5 agreement is known!
The latter has been violated, while there is no progress in many conditions,” he said.
Gahler mentioned as unfulfilled conditions the following: Media law has not improved; officials involved in vote rigging have escaped prosecution; senior government officials and former magistrates of the judiciary involved in corruption have escaped prosecution; money laundering remains an unaddressed concern, given the recent scandal; the constitutionality of the 2019 local elections has not yet been clarified; the establishment of new judicial institutions is slow.
Gahler’s criticism against Rama are a follow up of Brussels’ uneasiness towards Albanian PM’s continuous critical stance towards the EU./argumentum.al