At a press conference on Wednesday, the head of the delegation led by David McAllister in the European Parliament outlined the main points that, in his view, should be addressed by political actors.

McAllister stressed that the visit comes at a decisive moment for Albania, as the country has opened the final cluster of accession negotiations with the European Union and is awaiting the assessment report on its progress.

He highlighted three fundamental points that must be respected in the integration process:

Fight against corruption:

“The momentum in the fight against corruption must be maintained. Much has been achieved, but not yet at a satisfactory level. In the Transparency International report, Albania has dropped by nine places. It is important that the justice system be fully staffed and not subjected to pressure. However, politics must set its own example and support this process.”

Electoral reform:

“We would like to see a genuine electoral reform carried out in a timely manner. It should be inclusive and fulfill the recommendations of OSCE/ODIHR.”

Institutional support and the enlargement process:

“The enlargement process is a merit-based process; each country is assessed according to its fulfillment of the criteria. However, we are concerned about political polarization in the country. Violent protests have no place in a functioning democracy.”