Positive recommendation Albania, EU report also names Tahiri's name

The European Commission is expected to formally recommend the opening of membership talks with Albania today, following progress cited there that starts with preserving and deepening current reforms in the key area of law enforcement, with progress in its five key priorities continuing tangible results in re-evaluating judges and prosecutors.

Exactly the property, the EC stresses, will be crucial for Albania's further progress. In its support, the Commission will apply strengthened approach to negotiating chapters related to the judiciary, fundamental rights and justice, freedom and security of the country.

At the request of the prosecution, the report continues, October 2017 Parliament partially stripped MP Saimir Tahiri, former interior minister.

The document provides a detailed review of the country's performance in terms of different criteria. The government, according to him, remains committed to the EU integration process, but the pace of reforms was affected by election campaigns and changes at the ministerial level. Describing the situation, the EC notes that “strong liberalisation on the political scene has been present”, as opposition boycotted last spring “chka also pushed in time to establish property institutions in the judiciary” and then the May agreement between Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Lulzim Basha, which followed with the June general election-free <x4 referendum, despite a number of recommendations from the O SBE/ The ODIHR still remains incomplete”. TCH