Germany's recent proposal for the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries into the European Union has sparked discussions in Albanian politics.
DP MP Jorida Tabaku, in her speech in the Assembly, called on the government to reflect and show real political will to move forward.
Tabaku emphasized that Albania cannot have any other objective than full membership in the EU.
Excerpt from the speech of MP Jorida Tabaku;
Mr. President, thank you. First, allow me to greet you, I believe you have heard the proposal of Germany that was made public today and to the media, about a letter that the Chancellor… has sent to all member states, regarding the proposal for gradual integration. The German Chancellor… has been the first in fact to have begun to elaborate these ideas and I believe that they are very different from the ideas that the Albanian government launched a short time ago for partial, piecemeal integration.
Albania has no objections, no other objective than full integration, and today, Germany's support, Germany's confirmation towards this journey, I believe confirms it once again for all the countries of the Western Balkans.
So, Mr. President, I hope that the Albanian government will have time to reflect, to use this golden moment that is actually being offered, to have the political will to move forward.
Because the last 5 months of obstacles, delays, lack of political will, I believe have the same reasons that delayed it for 10 years, that were postponed for another 5 months, which today Albanian citizens, I believe, at the end of the day have understood who was the obstacle. And once again I call for this proposal that came today from Germany to the other member states, to be seen as an opportunity for the Albanian government to move forward, to make reforms.
Firstly, for the fight against corruption and organized crime, secondly to make this process a national priority for all of Albania and Albanians and not to follow the same path that has been followed for 10 years in a row, and in the last 5 months, in which this process has remained blocked.
