EP Foreign Affairs Committee adopts resolution on Albania: Punishment of vote buying, who's negotiating

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET) approved this Thursday the report on Albania's progress on the road to the EU, while the focus is on meeting the fulfillment of 15 conditions for the opening of negotiations.

The following amendments proposed by the EPP Group were adopted today:

Elections

Expresses concern over the allegations of vote buying and recalls that the prosecution of this phenomenon is among the conditions set by the Council on 25 March 2020

Most importantly, preparations for the 2021 parliamentary elections are conducted in a transparent and inclusive manner; All political forces, state bodies, civil society and the media have a common duty to ensure a transparent, credible and objective electoral campaign, free from misinformation, threats and false accusations. Elections are essential for EU integration;

Electoral reform

Underlines the importance of implementing the electoral reform measures amended in July 2020, which are in line with the OSCE Recommendations on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE / ODIHR).    

Welcomes the positive outcome of the agreement of 5 June 2020, which implements some of the OSCE / ODIHR recommendations and notes the failure to build on it and the fact that despite repeated international calls to await the opinion of the Venice Commission, steps have been taken to further without a broad cross-party consensus resulting in the adoption of amendments to the Electoral Code in October 2020 by the Albanian Parliament.

Justice reforms

Appreciates the progress made in implementing comprehensive judicial reform, supported by the vetting process and the establishment of relevant and specialized institutions. It calls for the acceleration of these procedures in order to achieve a tangible change independently as a precondition for the first intergovernmental conference.

Underlines the problems related to money laundering, especially in the construction and real estate sector (AM 125) ”;

Encourages full implementation of the Venice Commission recommendations of 19 June 2020 for the anti-defamation package.