Merkel does not show whether Germany will support Albania for opening negotiations

Albania's prime minister's first visit shortly after the EU Commission's recommendation for the start of membership talks was in Berlin. He met there with a number of important people, and especially Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In all the Rama talks, there was one goal: to persuade the conversationators to give their vote for the opening of the negotiations.

Rama held many meetings Wednesday: but the most important was he with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Even though approval of the commission's recommendation for opening negotiations will be passed by parliament, the CSU chairman's word will play a major role.

But the German Chancellor gave no signal to orient the listener whether Germany will vote for the start of negotiations, or postpone this decision for a more appropriate moment.

The negotiations' “Celja requires the fulfillment of a number of preconditions,”, Merkel said Wednesday in front of the media in Berlin. “Albania has met several goals with much force. In the coming weeks, we will create our final opinion of whether there are things to do, whether there are progress, and we want to speak with our European colleagues “, the Chancellor said further. The nearest day for this conversation will be May 17th, in Sofia, where Merkel will attend the Western Balkan countries' summit with the EU.

Praise was received by Albania's prime minister from Germany, especially for the vetting process, in which hundreds of judges and prosecutors have been checked and assessed and subsequently resigned, only weeks after the start, 21 judges and prosecutors. “This law strengthens its judicial system, integrity and seriousness”, said Merkel, who encouraged Rama to expand herself to the police bodies as well.

The Chancellor offered Germany's support: “Germania wants to provide support, Germany will contribute so that we can really see the progress we need to make a decision in June”, Merkel said.

In June, the EU summit will be held under Bulgaria's chairmanship, and the decision will be made, whether the Commission's recommendation for launching the talks could be followed by a decision or not.

For Eddie Rama, the negotiations should have started an hour ago. A wish he also expressed at the joint press conference with Germany's Chancellor.

The results of the judiciary's vetoing, whose law was drafted with Germany's help, and according to Rama has already turned into a model for other countries, have prompted Albania to receive this positive recommendation from the Commission. Now Albania needs a reward, Rama argues, so the opening of negotiations, so that the police's veto is equally successful.

For Germany to vote on opening negotiations, approval of the Federal Assembly is needed. While the Social Democrats have shown more open and more willing to embrace the recommendation, fellow Chancellor Merkel's party is more reserved.

Just to ward off these reserves, Edi Rama, asked for help where he could: He met with Bundestag's president, Wolfgang Schäublen, one of the oldest party figures whose word is weighty, as well as had a hearing right on the EU's Bundestag Commission for Affairs, which is headed precisely by Günther Krichbaum, politician The CDU, which was so controversial by some media in Albania, after failing to join the euphoria that had engulfed Albania after the commission gave the recommendation. Rama also had a dinner with MPs from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

In the evening, Rama had a warmer meeting at the Social Democrat Party foundation, the Socialist Party's sister under the Socialist International. Rama was invited there to discuss with German Minister for Europe Michael Roth, about Albania and the possibility of opening negotiations. Roth noted that the opening of negotiations is not expected with euphoria from EU member states. “The EU is going through difficult times because it has a variety of internal problems and is not ready for new members. ”

Besides praising the achievements in the Vetting process, Roth did not forget to remind his socialist friend that judicial reform without a process against former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri cannot be made. Therefore, the trial should be launched against former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri to testify thus that the independence of the judiciary really works, Roth said.