Albania’s government, opposition trade accusations about EU integration

The government and the opposition continue to accuse each other of failing to co-operate on EU integration. Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto noted on Sunday (October 17th) that Brussels is forming an opinion on the country’s EU candidate status and urged the opposition to co-operate in the political process. “There are expectations [about] the opposition, to be engaged in adopting legislation on main issues in the parliament, especially on electoral reforms,” Haxhinasto said as he returned from Brussels where he met with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele. The opposition Socialist Party (SP) says it is the government that is blocking the processes. “We remind the foreign minister that the government has blocked the creation of an investigation commission on the 2009 elections, as requested by the European Parliament,” SP lawmaker Olta Xhacka said. Albania applied for EU candidate country status in April 2009.