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EU #enlargement: Albani, Bosnia and Herzegovina must prove their commitment to EU values and preserve stability in the region

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eubalkansMEPs adopted, today (15 February) in plenary, the progress reports on EU-related reforms in 2016 of Albania, an EU candidate country since June 2014, with accession negotiations still on hold and Bosnia and Herzegovina, a potential EU candidate country, having its application assessed by the European Commission.  

ALDE MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria, Movement for Rights and Freedoms), shadow rapporteur on Albania, referred to the country’s good progress in meeting the five key priorities for the opening of accession negotiations:

“The ALDE Group welcomes the Commission's recommendation for opening accession negotiations with Albania and fully supports the country’s accession to the EU. The accession negotiations have to be opened as soon as there is credible and sustainable progress in the implementation of judicial reform and in fight against organised crime and corruption.
Challenges still persist and the upcoming parliamentary elections in June will be crucial to further advance the EU accession process. The best opportunity for Albania to show its commitment towards the EU is by ensuring free and fair elections. All political actors and institutions have to guarantee that the elections will be held in compliance with international standards and civil society organisations have to actively participate in the overview of the whole electoral process.”

ALDE MEP, Jozo Radoš (HNS, Croatia), shadow rapporteur on Bosnia and Herzegovina said authorities in Sarajevo need to improve the way state institutions work and to overcome ethnic and political divisions:

"Although Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its application for EU membership in 2016, due to internal blockages and its complicated and asymmetric structure, state institutions are not working properly. The European Parliament didn’t send a clear call for an earnest modification of the structure of the country. ALDE is supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path, which will help BiH to overcome its difficulties and help to build stability in South-Eastern Europe. Greater involvement of the EU Council would certainly be welcomed."

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