| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.12, No.16, 27.4.06 |
| Publication Date | 27/04/2006 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 27/04/06 If EU membership were judged on reputation alone then Albania would have no prospect of membership, since it is known as a land of people trafficking, Stalinist rulers, pyramid schemes, blood feuds and King Zog. Yet, on paper at least, of the three non-candidate countries in the Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro - Albania has been the quickest to deepen ties with the EU. Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj is the first to admit that his country has problems, but relations with the EU are soon expected to reach a significant milestone. Negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement, a preliminary step on the way to becoming an EU candidate country, are nearing completion after two difficult years of talks. Albania is expected to sign the agreement in May. But having watched wave after wave of enlargement from the sidelines, Mustafaj is clear on how Albania must proceed. "The next stage is the most difficult stage: implementation of the agreement," he said. "The country needs major legislative reforms." For now Tirana seems to be saying all the things that Brussels would like to hear. Mustafaj adds: "The next stage is a proclamation of candidate status. But we are not impatient [about that]. We are impatient to change our country, to implement reforms to improve the standard of living for Albanians." To the north, Kosovo and Montenegro could both become independent from Serbia and Montenegro, transforming the political landscape in Pristina, Podgorica and Belgrade. For now Serbia's bid to close negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement hinges on capturing suspected war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic and delivering them to The Hague. Officials from the EU and the US insist that this is not just about capturing two individuals; it is about bringing the Serbian army and secret services firmly under government control. Despite their reputations in the EU, Karadzic and Mladic are still considered heroes by some in Serbia. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is also set for a period of uncertainty. Despite beginning negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement on 25 November 2005, the political focus is on ongoing constitutional reform. Ten years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, BiH is struggling to make its highly complex and system of cantonal government work. Elections are scheduled for October and constitutional reform is expected to continue after the polls. Following a recent agreement, reforms are likely to see the powers of the international community whittled down. It is also likely to see the number of presidents reduced from three to one. But balancing the expectations of Bosniacs, Croat, Serbs and the EU is likely to remain difficult. Article takes a look at the prospects of Albaina, Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to develop closer ties with the European Union. Author suggests that in spite of its negative reputation Albania had recently been most successful of the three non-candidate countries in the Western Balkans. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia |
