Today the Committee of the European parliament on Civil liberties, home affairs and justice appointed you to be a Rapporteur on visa liberalisation for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Witch will be your first steep of the draft preparing and what will present contain this draft?

"I am glad to be trusted such a delicate report again, specially now when the European parliament has even a greater power than the last year. Since the Lisbon treaty came into force we share the same competences with the EU Member states. I am planning to prepare a draft in the coming days. Free travelling to EU is very important for people in the Western Balkans and I hope that after gaining such a huge majority in EP for my report last year on the abolishment of visas for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro this will also be the case as soon as possible for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania.
 
Do you think that the political crisis could affect in the decision of the visa liberalization?

I urge all the sides in Albania to resolve the political crises as soon as possible. We need to see that the parliaments work. Your country made a good progress in the fulfilment of the technical criteria for visa liberalization and I hope Albania will be ready to join visa free regime by July when there is expected a new expert mission to evaluate the readiness of the country. Of course the political situation raises a lot of concerns in The European parliament. The crises could slow down the process, therefore is urgent that all the sides, the governmental and the opposition, find a solution. It wouldn't be fair to punish the citizens.

Now, today the European Commission has proposed the abolition of visas for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. What's your opinion about this and how do you feel after days and days "fight" in EP for this thing?

It's great news for the citizens of Albania. I believe your country made a good progress in the fulfilment of the technical criteria for entering visa free regime. We were long time waiting to see that day and now I expect that the authorities will be able to meet the remaining criteria in the coming weeks. There will be another EU expert mission in Albania most likely in the beginning of July and they should deliver the positive results. And for me personally, it's a great new challenge. New fight has just begun for the citizens of your country. I do hope we will together manage to deliver some good news to your country soon but for that we need to see stable and democratic Albania.  
 
The EU has give some "homework" for both country before the last decision. Do You thing that this two country has the power to complete at time all the points propose from EU?
I have some assurances from both countries that they are ready. They are both willing to prove in the beginning of July that everything what European Commission has asked - all the technical benchmarks - has been fulfilled. I expect that is the case. The worse scenario would be if the experts would come to the region and find out that there are still some open issues. It could delay the process. I am not in the position to evaluate the readiness: I have to rely on the work of the experts, so I will be eager to see their reports.
 
When the Albanian citizens can travel without visa in the Schengen aria?

It's in the hands of the responsible politicians in your country. When Albania will be ready, EU will be ready too. In the European Parliament we were always strongly supporting visa liberalization for the Western Balkan. I hope we can deliver visa free regime to the citizens of your country latest by the end of this year. But once again, the decision is totally in the hands of the Albanian responsible politicians. I am sure that they know what is in the interest of their people.


What we can say about Kosovo. How far is this country from the visa liberalization?

We must find an early and appropriate solution for the people of Kosovo because we must not let them remain trapped in the black patch on a Western Balkans map. The EU has a political responsibility to bring the visa liberalisation process to an end. For the countries in the region, this will be a huge step on the path towards European values and integration, and for the EU, it will contribute to strengthening of interpersonal relations and a better political and economic cooperation. If we really want the countries of the Western Balkans to become members of EU, it is essential that in particularly the younger generations are able to travel to the Union and get to known it better. Closing the door for too long would only deepen ethnic divisions, reinforce nationalism and anti-European mood.