Joint press conference of Prime Minister Edi Rama and President of European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, following the meeting held in Tirana:
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good evening!
Allow me to cordially thank the President of the European Commission and a long-time friend of Albania and Albanian people, Jean-Claude Juncker, on his visit which is the fulfilment of an old but kept promise at the best possible moment. It comes ahead of the decision of the European Commission recommendation to open accession negotiations with Albania and following the publication of the new enlargement strategy, which forms an encouraging basis for all countries in our region.
As you know, we met in December in Brussels and today I had the opportunity and privilege to closely inform President on the latest developments, progress in reform efforts and certainly Albania’s commitment to keep on being involved in an intensive alignment process with the EU through our country’s daily work on one hand, and a constructive actor in fostering regional cooperation and ensuring good neighbourhood relations in the entire region on the other.
The European Commission had recommended opening of the accession negotiations with Albania since November 2016, underlining the indispensability to progress ahead with the justice system reform and concrete implementation of the vetting process in particular. The moment that recommendation was issued, we had still to pass the vetting law, which has been already adopted, and we had not embarked the concrete work to implement the vetting law, which is underway.
I informed the President that as we speak we count a total of 17 top prosecutors and judges of Albania’s highest judicial level have withdrawn from vetting, meaning they will no longer be part of the judiciary, in a clear indication that vetting is functioning as a strong impetus towards achieving the objective for a new and independent justice system.
On the other side I informed the President that we await opening of concrete cases with concrete results by vetting committess themselves.
Meanwhile since our last meeting took place ample of important things have occurred. The nation-wide “Power of Law” operation against organized crime is underway.
A deregulation reform is being implemented aimed at reducing red tape and yielding direct results in the fight against corruption in the relations between the citizens and the state in all lines of state’s services.
Just like a radical transformation process with regards to the relations between justice and the citizens through the election of a new Chief Prosecutor and opening a number of old files is also well underway.
Our determination remains unweavered because of our awareness that integration reforms are not as necessary as Brussels requires, not compulsory because Brussels demands, but necessary and compelling because Albania needs them and because it is the debt we owe to the next generation. This process is unique, irreplaceable to state-building and to the functioning of democratic institutions in our country.
We have already underlined that to us EU accession is not a journey to go else where but it is an attempt to built European Albania here in our country.
We have stated and I want to reiterate: I strongly believe that we deserve full and clean recommendation by the European Commission and I hope that member states will positively respond, in unison EC request, since we have precisely accomplished our homework at this phase and opening negotiations constitutes opening a new chapter of attempts in the path towards reforms to the full accession in the European Union.
Thank you Mr. President once again!
Thank you dear Jean-Claude!
It is a pity that despite our efforts we could not welcome you with a typical Albanian and Mediterranean weather however it is a way to make you feel at home like in Brussels, rain, greyish, gloomy.
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker: Good evening dear Prime Minister! Good evening honourable ladies and gentlemen!
I am here in Tirana to escape Brussels weather but it seems I found the same thing here in Tirana. But it is a brief moment of an Albanian cicle.
I am pleased along with Commissioner Hahn in Tirana. We started our Western Balkans tour in Tirana, including Albania, Tirana in the first phase. Albania is not strange to me. I know it from the distance, not sufficiently but however I can give a beforehand judgment to what constitutes the strength of this country. In regard to the Prime Minister, these talks have long begun. When I first visited Tirana the Prime Minister was the mayor of Tirana. I heard what others said in his regard.
To us, Western Balkans and Albania, in particular, are amicable countries, allies and partners endowed of a European perspective, as Albania is a thoroughly European country, divided by history, by history surpises for a long time, which now we should not waste as much time as we had to be separated.
It is in fact about re-writing history through reconciliation. I gladly notice that Albania does not cease to accumulate progress as it has embarked impressive ample structural reforms in many areas in your national life. These progresses are also impressive. If they follow these reforms’ path it will enable the European Commission to recommend Albania’s opening of negotiations.
I am not here in Tirana to make hollow promises. It is easy to provide pleasure, tell you this date or that date we will start talks, but this not my goal. I can only encourage Albania to continue important reforms, especially in the fight against crime, vetting process, organisation of the judiciary. We will be alongside Albania in order to assist membership preparations. In order to join the European Union aspiring ountries should resolve all issues, and settle all possible border disputes until membership date. I can but encourage what Albania seeks to put an end to territorial conflicts as it displays Albania’s commitment to join the EU as soon as possible. We will support Albania in all its efforts even to improving relations between Western Balkans countries, until then.
Following the meeting with the Prime Minister I reaffirm that Albania’s natural place is within the European Union.
Thank you!
Question to President Juncker; Given that one of the development strategy points you presented at the European Parliament in February was resolution of disputes between Western Balkans neighbour countries, How do you evaluate negotiations between Albania and Greece on a range of past pending issues and especially the maritime agreement and are you monitoring such negotiations?
To Prime Minister Rama: Starting from Albania’s internal stalemate to further progress in this negotiations since the President did not provide full authorization to step ahead, do you think that when the Commission will recommend opening negotiations in April this issue will be solved?
Prime Minister Rama: First of all I would like to make an obliged correction. You have to be convinced that I find no pleasure to correct you, but if I am compelled I have to. The President did not refuse to provide his authorization, but the President has demanded by the right granted by the Constitution and his authority certain explanations related to the submitted request on having authorization. Written explanations have been forwarded, they are on the President’s desk and I invite you all to consider this process with the seriousness it deserves and let’s find reasons to make news in other issues rather than this process.
I strongly believe that the President will perform his duty and we will have the necessary time to meet this strategic objective of resolving all pending issues with our southern neighbour. These problems carried from 70 years, of signing a new agreement which should be based from beginning to end upon decision of our Constitutional Court. So that when asked today if this process solution will be successful I can tell you, yes it will and it will be another strong reason for our EU friends to assess Albania as a serious state and Albanian government as a government that is endorsed with European maturity to treat even such fragile issues carried through 70 years.
President Juncker: It copes with issues that might exist between Albania and Greece. I think that they have to be resolved as soon as possible. We have an open window of opportunity thus we have to use accession both-sidedly to allow these countries to agree on solution of these issues which is not a conflict yet. I am convinced that regional countries, facing territorial disputes, will try to overcome them and these cannot be handled after achieving membership. Their resolution should be done pre-memebership. Hence I would like to encourage Albania and Greece to agree and this will be an additional element to accept opening of negotiations when the moment comes.
In addition, I want to say that EU does not belong only to the present EU member states. European treates state clearly and unequivocally that any country has the aspiration of joining the European Union, under condition of meeting accession criteria, which are criteria belonging to different candidate countries. Once Albania has definetly met the entire progress we expect and it expects from itself, membership will be spmething accomplished. All countries meeting accession criteria, despite what others do, aspire to become EU members. This is a merit-based process.
Mr. Juncker, in the enlargement strategy, Brussels refers to a possible date related to Serbia and Montenegro accession, but not Albania’s. Meanwhile, these two countries have not yet started the judicial reform, Albania already has started the justice system reform and you are expecting concrete results. How do you explain the fact that your strategy includes Serbia ahead of Albania in this aspect?
Mr. Rama, do you have a joint strategy between Albania and the European Commission in regard to member states, in order to convince them to open negotiations in the summer?
President Juncker: In regard to your previous question I want to tell that contrary to what is said everywhere we have not stated that Serbia and Montenegro will necessarily enter EU by 2025. Accession is addressed to all countries. Hence it could be that date, or it could be sooner or later. Once every country has met all accession criteria, we will act in a way that all countries efforts are recognised by the EU. So it is not the moment to say or write that Albania will be unfairly or badly treated. We are willing to strongly support Albania’s great efforts and it is not the case to not consider Albania’s merits.
Prime Minister Rama: I thank the President to this explanation, being the main author of the Strategy and through all my efforts to translate the Strategy to you, saying that what you asked doe not exist, once again, being said by the author himself, probably you will give up for good from the story that the Commission appointed a date to Serbia and Montenegro and left Albania and Macedonia aside or else other countries behind the door. In strategic terms, 2025 is a window of opportunity but at the same time, the Strategy explicitly says that this is a merit-based process and whoever runs faster reaches first. However, under today’s conditions, Serbia and Montenegro are positioned ahead, as they have started negotiations.
They have started negotiations while we are waiting to open negotiations, but it does not mean that they will join earlier and we will join later or that 2025 is a designated date. It means that as we are now the situation is this and it is up to each country to rush ahead and make its maximum efforts to reach EU door and I have said and reiterate that in the best occasion we will jointly enter with Serbia and in the worst scenario we will enter EU prior to Serbia, just to be clear.
Regarding the question related to member states, what is our interest is a full and clean recommendation by the Commission, as the Commission is the progress evaluator authority, based on certification of the work performed on each of the five priorities. Afterwards decision making of member states is a decision embarking from the Commission but also has its own political character. Thus, definitely recommendation is the first step. After recommendation is given, which I hope to swiftly take, without any waste of time and I believe we deserve it, we will see the position member states are in.
The Commision’s report is not the only decision making of member states but also their government’s reports including their public opinions, their electorates, their political stances, thus it is a more complex process. However, we are working along with member countries. We already know where the most sensitive parts are and which countries demand more information and more determination and we are undertaking it.
Mr. Juncker, the Prime Minister said clearly that we are expecting vetting results, while even the latest developments in the justice system, mainly the Chief Prosecutor, several cases have been opened. Former officials, former MPs are being prosecuted. Is it enough to convince you in order to do this clear recommendation on Albania by the European Commission and based on your expertise can there be doubts among member states in June?
President Juncker: Three questions in one. In relation to the vetting, I notice that the process is underway and it is providing impressive results. What we would like and we are reassured by what the Prime Minister said, that this vetting process will continue beyond April, when the Commission will publish the material related to aspiring countries on EU accession. Then, there are cases of interest to the Albanian public which could influence this type of discourses but I think it belongs to Albanian justice to do its job and I it will. It does not pertain to me to say who is guilty and who is not. There is a judicial system which is increasingly functioning better in Albania and this system is strong enough to solve cases aforementioned.
In regard to member states, it is difficult to provide a final, definite judgment to each of the member countries. My experience is nowadays extensive in such matters. I chaired the European Commission in ’97 which opened the way to eastern countries to Western Europe. I took part in the signing of accession treaty of Bulgaria, Rumania and Croatia and during this long journey I learned to distinguish between anxious processes and those developing smoothly.
Prime Minister Rama: Thank you very much to everyone to your presence! Gratitute once again to the President, his delegation, Commissioner Hahn certainly, who is part of the delegation visiting Albania and our work will continue on daily basis, until the last second prior to the meeting, to establish the recommendation.