The Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), David McAllister, appeared today at a media conference where he conveyed clear messages to the Albanian political class, emphasizing the need for accelerating reforms and concrete implementation of laws.
He stated that there is still much to be done in terms of implementing legislation and strengthening institutions. According to him, the fight against corruption should remain a priority, as although progress has been achieved, the results are not yet at a satisfactory level. McAllister also mentioned the fact that Albania has lost 11 places in the Transparency International ranking, emphasizing that political interference should be avoided and that politicians should set an example of respecting institutions.
Another important point of his message was electoral reform. He called for changes to be made in sufficient time before the elections and to be comprehensive, fully implementing OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.
McAllister also stressed the importance of freedom of expression and media pluralism. He called for transparency from media leaders and protection of journalists from political pressures and attacks. In conclusion, he underlined that the adoption of laws is not enough if they are not implemented in practice, calling for constructive cooperation between institutions and political forces to advance the reform process.
"There is still a lot to be done with the Albanian community and in the implementation of this legislation. I would like to raise three arguments that are important for the European Parliament. There is a need to maintain the driving force in the fight against corruption. Much has been achieved in this area, but it is still not at a satisfactory level. Albania has lost 11 places according to Transparency International. There should be no political interference and politicians should set an example by not interfering.
We want to see real electoral reform, which is carried out in sufficient time before the elections and is comprehensive. The OSCE/ODIHR recommendations must be fully implemented. Third, we want to see more efforts for freedom of expression and media pluralism. Transparency is also required from media leaders, as well as protection of journalists from politics and attacks.
All of this requires constructive cooperation. It is not enough to simply adopt legislation; for the effects to be felt, reforms must be implemented. I highly appreciate Albania's work within the framework of European policy," he said.
