Peter Stano, the Spokesperson for the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule, confirmed the Commissioner’s visit in Tirana this Monday.
Fule’s Twitter message gave no further explanations regarding this visit.
“Elections are important but will not solve the critical issues: no culture of compromise & lack of inclusivity”, Fule wrote on twitter.
As regards the electoral reform implementation, the European Council declared that this process is being observed not only by the Commission, but also by the member countries.
Top Channel: The electoral reform was part of the “critical mass” that you valued as progress in your last report. Is the Commission following the implementation of this reform, and is the implementation as important as the passing of laws in Albania?
Peter Stano: Certainly, it is very important and we emphasize each day that we are not only talking about signing agreements about laws and procedures, but also to implement them. It’s not only the European Commission observing them, but also the other member countries. A recent example are the Council conclusions last December, when member countries declared that the successful development of the parliamentary elections will be a key test for the functionality of the democratic institutions.
It’s worth saying that this part of the members' conclusions about the elections, which was read today by the Commission too, is strongly related with the fulfilment of the political criteria, which are necessary for the EU candidate status. The Commission will follow the fulfilment of the remaining criteria and also the consensus between parties, which is another criterion that is being constantly monitored in Albania’s case.