EU Ministers urge Albania to continue reforms

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and his Greek counterpart Stavros Lambrinidis, held talks with Albanian politicians in Tirana on Monday, in an effort to bring the country’s bid for EU membership back on track. 

The government and opposition parties have been at loggerheads in recent months with opposition parties repeatedly boycotting parliamentary sessions in protest over disputed mayoral elections held earlier this year.

Frattini and Lambrinidis attempted to facilitate discussions between both sides in a bid to help the country complete much-needed reforms.

“We in Europe believe that Albania has all the necessary capacities and ability to meet the requirements to open [EU] accession talks,” Lambrinidis said in a joint press conference with Frattini. “A political system that works together can achieve results,” he added.