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“We think it is unfair that the holding of the Roundtable for Albania and North Macedonia to be hindered by factors unrelated to our countries’ fulfillment of integration standards,” said Speaker Lindita Nikolla in a meeting with European Parliament President David Maria Sassoli in Brussels on Wednesday.
Nikolla’s visit was part of efforts to lobby for the holding of the first Intergovernmental Roundtable with the EU within 2021.
Speaker Nikolla thanked President Sassoli for his strong, personal and institutional support for the advancement of Albania and the Western Balkans region on the road to the EU.
“Your initiative to establish a dialogue between the European Parliament and the Speakers of the Parliaments of the Western Balkan countries is an important instrument for accelerating the movement of the countries of the region towards the European Union. Despite the challenges and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Albania has advanced in its roadmap reforms towards the EU and has met all the priorities set by the European Council. We are confident that the European Parliament will influence the holding of the First Intergovernmental Roundtable with the EU by 2021,” she said.
Speaking about the implementation of comprehensive justice reform, Nikolla said that it has given good results and is advancing positively. “The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court are already operational, while vetting is progressing steadily and yielding tangible results.”
President Sassoli said: “The European Parliament will continue to insist that the First Albania-EU Intergovernmental Roundtable be held as soon as possible.” / Argumentum.al
