European Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, calls on skeptical members of the European Union to support the opening of EU membership negotiations for Albania and Macedonia. In an interview with the German journal Stuttgarter Zeitung, Hahn urges these countries to give impetus to the integration process.
“I understand skepticism and I do not say that Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are ready to join. Conducting the necessary reforms for this can be achieved during the membership process”.
Regarding Germany’s support for the opening of negotiations for Albania and Macedonia, Hahn says he personally lobbyed the German parliament to give the country support for the June European Council negotiations. However, the Commissioner warns that without the capture of so-called “big fish” negotiations will be halted.
“For membership negotiations, we attach great importance to the implementation of laws, to truly sending corruption cases to justice, and to preventing large fish being spared. No progress in that direction, we can stop negotiations”.
Hahn reiterates that the European perspective can maintain stability in the region with a turbulent history./tvklan.al
