TIRANA, January 28 – Albania will start opening the first chapters of negotiations with the European Union in 2023. This was revealed by the rapporteur for Albania in the European Parliament Isabel Santos in an interview on TV Klan, and according to her this is based on the progress of the “screening” process.
“I have a positive assessment of the way the screening process is proceeding. I think that in September, this whole process will be completed. After that, we will be in the condition to start the official negotiations of the two parties,” she said, adding that the opening of the chapters will start by the end of the year.
The Albanian government has declared its determination to move forward with criminal and fiscal amnesty. It has started a communication process with experts from the EU Office in Tirana to include their suggestions in the final draft. Asked about this process, rapporteur Santos was careful to give an opinion to be positioned for or against, but explained how important close consultation with the EU is.
“Currently, the criminal and fiscal amnesty is only a project, it is not yet a law. Nothing is finished. It is at the beginning of a process towards any legislative initiative with importance and impact on the life of the country. It should be done in very close consultation with the EU during the negotiation process,” said Santos.
Santos assessed the position of all political parties regarding the issue of integration and based on this assessment she expressed the belief that the next local elections will be held in accordance with the standards required by European democracy. /Argumentum.al
