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Llum verda per a #EUAccessió conversa amb #Albània i #FYROM

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The European Commission is expected to signal that it is ready to finally begin accession negotiations with Albania  and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) when it publishes its enlargement reports on West Balkans countries later this week, escriu Martin Banks.

The executive will unveil the keenly awaited progress reports on Albania, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo on Wednesday (18 April).

A draft copy seen by this website says that Albania and FYROM are ready to start formal EU accession talks.

Albania first applied for membership in April 2009 and has been an official candidate for accession to the EU since June 2014.

The Commission has recommended commencing negotiations with FYROM every year since 2009 but progress has been blocked by failure to resolve the country’s long-standing name dispute with Greece.

On Albania, the exhaustive commission report says reform of the public administration "has been consolidated, with a view to enhancing its professionalism and depoliticization."

Further actions have been taken to “reinforce the independence, efficiency, and accountability of judicial institutions, particularly through advancing in the implementation of a comprehensive justice reform."

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Albania is warned that "continued, concrete, and tangible results in the reevaluation of judges and prosecutors will be decisive for further progress."

In October 2012, the Commission recommended that Albania be granted EU candidate status, subject to completion of key measures in the areas of judicial and public administration reform and revision of the parliamentary rules of procedures.

Albania’s progress on EU-related reforms and “good progress” in fighting organized crime is acknowledged, with this has proved to be a key to advancing the EU accession process and starting negotiations.

FYROM, meanwhile, has also boosted its EU membership credentials, the commission says, because it "has largely overcome its deep political crisis". It states that "the political will to move forward is once again clearly present," adding that "a positive change in the political mind-set has been seen across society, the lack of which had been a major impediment to reforms in recent years."

Since national elections in May last year, the new government has had to overcome deep political fragmentation and set the country back on track towards EU accession negotiations.

Brussels adds, though, that “the necessary structural reforms are a lengthy process which will take years and the damage of recent years cannot be undone overnight".

Significant challenges in fostering reconciliation and strengthening the rule of law still lie ahead.

The six West Balkans countries - Albania, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo  - each have aspirations to join the EU and each one is at a different stage of the process, says the commission.

According to the progress reports to be published this week, Montenegro, previously seen as a leading candidate for accession, still has to undergo “further work to consolidate trust in the electoral framework".

It started talks in 2012 and has opened 30 out of the 33 chapters which accession countries must close under EU accession rules. It has concluded talks on three of the 30 chapters opened.The justice system is also criticised with the Commission stating that "the entire rule-of-law system now needs to deliver more results" and that "no progress has been made in the area of freedom of expression".

For Serbia, the commission says there has been some progress in certain areas, including the judicial system, public administration reform and the fight against corruption. It has opened 12 chapters but the commission states that "while progress has been made on the rule of law, Serbia now needs to strengthen its efforts and deliver more results".

In particular, this refers to "creating an enabling environment for freedom of expression, in strengthening the independence and overall efficiency of the judicial system, and in making sustainable progress in the fight against corruption and organized crime".

The draft, which takes stock of the reform process in each of the six Balkans states, points out that each “must deliver” on various criteria, including the rule of law, the fight against corruption and justice reform.

“Given the complex nature of the necessary reforms, it is a long term process,” it accepts, adding that “it is important to recognize that the accession negotiations are not – and never have been – an end in themselves. They are part of a wider process of modernization and reforms.”

The report says the commission wishes to give a “strong message of encouragement” for the whole Western Balkans and a “sign of the EU’s commitments to their European future”.

It cautions, thought, that addressing reforms in the area of rule of law, fundamental rights and good governance remain the “most pressing” issue for the six countries.

It goes on: “The governments of the enlargement countries need to embrace the necessary reforms more actively and truly make them part and parcel of their political agenda, not because the EU is asking for it but because it is in the best interests of their citizens.”

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