Mr. Daul you just closed a visit to Tirana, where you have met with Albanian political personalities and really this visit was interpreted in the Albanian public opinion like a support that you gave to stay of the majority to do not open the ballot boxes and rejection of claims opposition transparency of the election.. ..

I came to Albania to listen to all authorities and parties, Government as well as opposition. My only message was that  the state of law should prevail. This means that the Constitution should be implemented, that those who contest the result of last year's election should use the legal procedures at their disposition, and not boycott the Parliament.

My message was clear. Those who wanted to hear something else just pretend I said something else.


You, together with your counterpart Mr.Schulz and central figures of Brussels, as Commissioner Fuhle, directly engaged in resolving the situation of political crisis. But these efforts seem not had the result, which in the Albanian media was seen as a failure of the Brussels' attempts to persuade the Albanian political class to resolve the situation. Why had not the result of these efforts?

It is quite amazing to see how one can deform the reality. The reality is that Albania's democracy, due to the irresponsible behaviour of a fragmented opposition, is not working as it should. As a result, major reforms, like the judiciary, the fight against corruption, criminality, money laundering, etc, which require a qualified majority at the Parliament, cannot be passed.

And this situation would be the "failure"  of Brussels ? This is a joke. The reality is that both the Socialist Group and my Group, the EPP, together with the Commission, are trying to convince the opposition to work in a responsible and efficient way.

Any democracy needs an opposition, but not an opposition that would block for the sake of blocking. On the contrary Albania, like any democracy, needs an opposition that defends its political views and priorities, through a mature and organised debate in the Parliament.

I don't see how the refusal of the opposition in Albania to behave in such a way would be the fault of "Brussels, as you say.

Table of Strasbourg in "Crocodile" look that gave hope that this situation will get a solution, regardless of what was discussed there never was public. Can tell us what commitment it took Albanian leaders and who of them don't take the responsibility?

The situation is quite simple: the opposition party recognised in Strasbourg the legality of the Government, and the Government invited the opposition to propose changes to the electoral law, so that the next elections will take place in a context that will not lead to disputes.

As I just said, it is up to the opposition to use any legal instrument at its disposition in order to settle any disagreement. t is also up to the opposition  to participate to the work of the Parliament.

This is, no more and no less, the message I conveyed during my stay in Tirana ten days ago.

In your views you are expressing that support transparency of elections, but by respecting the Constitution. What you understand by this phrase that seems to become standard recently?

Again, I ask for the Constitution to be implemented, and for the Court to say what is, or is not, in conformity with the Constitution.

The 2009 general elections have been validated, and even the opposition says that the Government constituted after the elections is valid.

So please, let's move forward. If the government is valid, and so is the opposition, they shall confront their points of views in the Parliement, pass the necessary reforms, including the ones on the electoral law, and prepare the country to its important challenges. Nobody outside the country, and specially in the EU, would understand further delays.

The majority considers this expression estimates that the transparency of past elections should take place only after the election of archived documents in the archive and burn ballot papers. Are you agreeing with this solution?

Again, the Connstitution must be implemented. And if the Constitution is not perfectly clear on certain aspects, it is up to the Constitutional Court to interpret it, and to nobody else. This is the only comment I can make.

Opposition, in post your engagement, took its responsibilities, interrupted the hunger strike and returned to the Assembly. Do you wait for a release by the majority in this direction?

I beg the opposition to act as a responsible opposition,  to behave as a normal opposition. No more no less. Hunger strikes, boycotts, these are good for trade unions. Not for a democratically elected poliotical party.

The lack of a result in terms of resolving this crisis seems to have turned the situation at zero point, as the opposition has already decided not to approve any bill in the Assembly, and announced the resumption of protests and boycott the upcoming local elections. How would you evaluate these steps?

What does the opposition want in Albania exactly ? To give a chance to its citizens to have a European perspective, to live in better conditions, to increase their level of life, to have all its chances in the context of globalisation... or to  wait, without any perspective of progress, until  the next general elections, in three years ? This is the only important question. The answer should be straightforward.

Is expected to undertake another initiative by the European Parliament to sit again the Albanian political parties at the table to resolve this situation?

I, together with Martin Schulz, will seize any serious opportunity to help Albania in its way forward European integration. But this means that an effort must be made by all parties. It is obviously not the case at the moment, I am afraid.

What impact will have this situation in the visa liberalization process and further the integration process of Albania in the EU?

Largely thanks to my Group, the EPP, the European Parliament just adopted a resolution favouring a liberalization of the visas. It is now up to the Council to adopt it. But obviously, a return to normal in Albania's political life would encourage the EU Institutions in helping this country.  Will this message prevail on sterile quarrels ?

Head of the European Parliament's delegation to Albania, Mr. Eduard Kukan said recently that after the accession of Croatia, there will be no expansion of the European Union. It has to do with the progress they have made these sites for you near the great European family or it has to do with the policy of EU enlargement?

Albania is a European country, and it must work in Europe's direction. This means acepting the path of reforms, implementing the acquis communautaire, and working seriously and steadily towards the European standards.

Nothing should distract Albania from this objective, and nobody should further delay the process of reforms that this perspective implies.

The time has not come to determine the year when Albania should, or not, become a Member of the EU. The time has come, on the contrary, for all political forces to decide if they work for the future of the country, or if they prefer to lose time in personal fights.