Lulzim Basha meets with members of the European People’s Party in Brussels

In an interview from Brussels, the leader of the Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, said that EU member states are pressuring the government of Albania through the EU accession negotiations process to overcome the current political crisis.

Basha is visiting Brussels to meet with members of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament.  In his remarks, Basha said that Albania is now farther away than ever from the EU due to the failure in implementing OSCE/ODHIR recommendations to improve election standards. According to Basha, EU’s doors are open to Albania only if there is a political solution to the crisis. “The EU pressure will help Albania to overcome the constitutional, democratic and institutional crisis through the only instrument that recognizes Europe, which recognizes democracies. Free fair elections” Basha said.

There are speculations according to which the European Council is expected to lay out some terms regarding Albania’s EU accession talks. One of these terms, according to Basha, is the arrest of politicians and officials who committed electoral crimes. Basha added that he expects from Brussels to toughen criteria for free and fair elections prior to the negotiation talks.