At the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, MEP Michael Gahler said that the recent visit to Albania provided a clear picture of the situation on the ground, emphasizing that progress should be measured by concrete results and not by political declarations.
He underlined that civil society concerns indicate the presence of entrenched corrupt structures linked to organized crime, extending to the highest levels of power.
Gahler brought up the case of Belinda Balluku as an example, emphasizing that despite the decision of the Constitutional Court of Albania that gave SPAK the right to act, the majority refused to lift her immunity.
According to him, the EU must insist that the rule of law be implemented without exception before any step towards membership.
Full word:
I also had the pleasure of participating in this visit last week. I thank my colleague Schieder, as well as the EPP rapporteur, and I agree almost completely with everything that was said. I think the visit to Albania provided a clear and valuable insight into the situation on the ground.
The Prime Minister, during the dinner he invited us to, was in very good shape and the meeting was quite pleasant. However, this should not distract us from an objective assessment of reality, especially with regard to the negotiation chapters that have been opened or closed. As was rightly pointed out, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”, so what matters is the concrete implementation in practice and the real results on the ground.
My impression, which goes beyond the meetings we held with both the majority and opposition representatives, is that the information and concerns raised by civil society organizations were particularly significant. They highlighted the existence of entrenched structures that cannot become part of the European Union while continuing to function as before. There are corrupt structures and organized crime activities that, according to the data presented, extend to the highest levels of power.
I think the Balluku case is a clear illustration in this regard. Despite the Constitutional Court stating that SPAK had the right to act, the majority refused to lift the immunity. This, in my opinion, clearly shows its stance when it comes to facing serious allegations and investigations in this area.
This situation should also influence our stance. We must insist that the rule of law be applied to all without exception and that problematic structures be dismantled before any accession. Such structures should not become part of the European Union.
