The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, received in a meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Stef Blok.

Minister Bushati thanked the Dutch counterpart for sustainable bilateral cooperation and the ongoing support that the Netherlands has offered in key reforms focusing on EU integration, where, specifically, Dutch experts are part of the International Monitoring Operation set up to oversee the vetting process of judiciary members in Albania.

Minister Bushati emphasized the fact that Albania and the Netherlands are co-sponsoring many conventions focusing on respect for human rights and freedoms in the framework of important international organizations such as: NATO, OSCE, UN, etc.

“In a large part of the resolutions that are sponsored by international organizations, especially in the UN framework, the resolutions related to Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, the Netherlands and Albania are co-sponsoring, which is a clear indicator of similar views that our two countries share about the Rule of Law and the Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms”, Minister Bushati emphasized.

Minister Blok said he was impressed by the changes and the reform process in our country. He stressed his country’s commitment to deepen cooperation with Albania, reaffirming that the Netherlands supports Albania’s European path, based on a credible and constant process of reforms that ensure the continuity of further progress of the country.

The two ministers praised the increase of economic cooperation between our countries and committed to further cooperation for the completion of the legal framework, economic cooperation, in order to exploit the growing potentials our country offers.

 

Joint Press Conference by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati and the Dutch counterpart, Stef Blok

Speech by Minister Ditmir Bushati

Good morning!

Today, I welcome in Tirana the Dutch colleague, Stef Blok, in this visit to Albania, which I think is very fruitful to discuss not only about bilateral cooperation, but also about the progress of our country’s reforms in the framework of the European integration process.

In the past, together with Stef, we have had a constant communication, especially on the eve of the decision of the European Union member states last June, regarding the process of expected talks on Albania’s membership in the European Union.

I would like to thank Stef, the Netherlands, for all the programs it has implemented and implements in Albania and in the Western Balkan countries, mainly programs in the field of the Rule of Law in Economy, the support that the Netherlands has given to our country regarding the Justice Reform.

I would also like to recall the Human Resources attached to the body of international judges, assisting Albanian experts on the Vetting process. Furthermore, justice programs commissioned by the European Union, where there are Dutch experts who give their contribution, in addition to other programs that the Dutch agency or government implements in the various fields of economic development of the country.

I also want to thank the Netherlands for the support it has given to Albania in terms of OSCE chairmanship for 2020 and consolidated cooperation in international organizations. In the media and public opinion, it is forgotten a fact that is irrefutable. In a large part of the resolutions that are sponsored in international organizations, especially in the UN framework, the resolutions related to Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, the Netherlands and Albania are co-sponsors, which is a clear indicator of similar views that our two countries share about the Rule of Law and the Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.

We are fully confident that we will strengthen our cooperation in the future to further improve the image of our country, to better communicate the progress of the reforms we undertake in Albania to the public in the Netherlands as well, and to cooperate together in order to fulfil one by one all the obligations and all the reforms that would enable the start of Albania’s membership talks in the European Union.

As I have tried to say several times during the excellent cooperation we have had with Stef, when it comes to countries like Albania, Europe is an ideal, Europe is a project; Europe is a necessity for the whole range of reforms that our country has to undertake.

Thank you!

You may take the floor…

 

Speech by Minister Stef Blok

I am very happy to be in Albania to have a meeting with some representatives of the Albanian state.

The Netherlands and Albania have very strong cooperation relations.

We have been active partners of Albania in many fields since the early 1990s and we see that these relationships are continuing to grow. There are several large trading companies that are active in Albania and the Netherlands is one of the countries that has invested heavily in economy.

The Netherlands is committed and dedicated to Albania’s EU perspective and, according to my opinion, the state and democracy stand in the central values of the EU and we see that the government of Albania is strongly engaged in this field and is taking serious steps. Albania has undertaken a number of reforms, such as the establishment of new institutions and the Vetting process.

It is important to keep focus on the consolidation of the additional judicial reforms and make further progress in the establishment of a solid and incontestable track record in combating organized crime and other important fields. This has been one of the main topics of discussion here today.

Other topics have involved Albania’s migration and ongoing efforts to discourage people from approaching the EU to seek asylum. I would like to repeat once again that such efforts by people will be fearless in almost all cases and let us work together with Albania to combat such phenomenon. In addition, I would like to thank the Albanian authorities for the return of such persons, for police co-operation and for the fight against organized crime.

Albania has made great strides in many areas such as judicial reform, improvement of investment climate or protection of human rights, and reforms in administrative field. The Netherlands continues to be ready to support Albania on the path to EU integration and we will continue with pleasure this cooperation in the future.

 

Questions by journalists

Question: How would you act if the European Council decided not to open negotiations in your country, would you resign at that moment?

And the second question relates to a request by members of the Dutch parliament to investigate cases where fair public procurements have been conducted in Albania. Have you asked the Albanian authorities about these cases and do you intend to answer to the Dutch parliament in the next three weeks?

Minister Blok:  In Dutch parliamentary tradition, questions are part of the daily process, i.e., questions addressed to the government. Always MPs ask many and many questions every year and this is actually the normal way how our parliament oversees me and our colleagues. So, the question is not about a special case or a special interest of parliamentarians for Albania. These questions are part of their normal attitude. So, the questions these MPs make about public investments in Albania, where, as far as I know, EU funds are involved, have been raised because the EU funds include the Dutch taxpayers’ money. We have just received these questions and we will certainly answer them, we will be in touch with Dutch civil servants in both the Netherlands and Albania.

Question: Regarding the first question, it was about the decision in June. What will be your attitude? So, if there is a vote against the opening of negotiations in your country?

Minister Blok: We agreed last June to receive a new report from the European Commission this summer regarding Albania’s progress and to see if such progress will be enough to open membership talks. Of course, without this report at hand I cannot say anything regarding our final decision because if we want to be fair and honest, we want to see progress. I said it also in my speech that Albania is committed and dedicated in this process, but we must always measure the concrete progress.

Question: I wanted to ask about the deportation of the Dutch journalist from Turkey. Will any measure be taken by the Dutch government until the deportation of the Turkish ambassador in the Netherlands?

The second question: Has Albania approached to receiving a positive decision this year?

A question to Mr. Bushati: Do you expect a differentiated treatment from the Netherlands to vote in favor of opening negotiations?

Ministri Blok: As to your question about the expulsion of the Dutch journalist in Turkey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey. Yesterday we also provided our assistance to the journalist in question. We continue to be in close contact regarding the reasons that led to such deportation. As for your question about accession negotiations. As I mentioned, I answered the question of your Albanian colleague. To answer such a question, we should wait for the Commission, the European Commission report.

Regarding the progress Albania has made, without such a report at hand, I cannot judge whether or not there has been a constant progress. The Low Countries try to evaluate fairly every country like Albania, but also every other country in terms of the beginning of negotiations and our assessment will always rely on a visible process that must be sustainable in time, convincing and we need to look at this process before taking other steps.

Thank you.

Minister Bushati: The rules of the game in this process are clear. I have said several times that we do not expect a differentiated treatment. The European Commission has made the recommendation. The Council has stipulated a clear calendar in June. Tasks are also clear. I believe that great progress has been made with regard to reforms in the field of rule of law in economy. Every reform process is accompanied with greater challenges, and I am fully hopeful that the European Commission and member countries, based on the logic and the June 2018 decision, will open the green light for launching accession talks.

Question: Albania has undertaken one of the strongest reforms in the justice system throughout Europe, while the Netherlands continues to be a bit unfair with the veto setting. Do you think this attitude of the Netherlands towards Albania is a bit excessive since it is not the first time that the Netherlands, although it says good words when ministers come here, when it comes to voting, it is against Albania? We do not understand your attitude!

As for Minister Bushati, perhaps this is your last press conference, Mr. Minister. We await the President’s decision. In these five and a half years, what is the thing that you have done wrong or what is a wrong statement made by you and you would withdraw if you were in time? Thank you.

Minister Blok: As for the Dutch decision regarding the Albanian desire to start negotiations, the statements we make in public are the same as we share in the European Council of Ministers. We are committed and dedicated to the European perspective of Albania. I have reiterated it several times. But on the basis of the visible and concrete process is the same message I have given to other aspiring countries. The European Union is a union of values and one of the main values is the rule of law. The rule of law is the value of human rights; therefore it’s only logical that I use the same criteria for aspiring countries as for the EU member countries. We are doing no more than this. We are very committed to helping Albania make progress. We have seen impressive progress, but we want to see each aspiring country reach further.

Minister Bushati: I must have made more than one mistake, but the reflection period has not yet begun. I guarantee that it will be complete.