[autom.vertaling] Leden van het Europese Parlement geven goedkeuring aan de Associatieovereenkomst met Albanië (en)

Parliament gave its assent to the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EC and the Republic of Albania. The House also adopted a resolution on the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Albania.

MEPs welcome the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which will hold out the prospect of a close and far-reaching contractual relationship between the EU and Albania, instrumental for achieving political, economic and institutional stability in the country as well as in the whole region and for promoting the transformation of Albania into a pluralist democracy respecting the rule of law, with a functioning market economy. The House believes that progress in achieving the standards laid down in the Agreement should be monitored by means of concrete measurable benchmarks by the SAA Council and the relevant joint parliamentary committee.

The House urges the EU and Albania to use the Agreement as a mutually beneficial opportunity. MEPs furthermore advise Albania to exploit the opportunity to find its own niche on the European market and develop competitiveness in targeted sectors.

MEPs recommend that Albania focus more strongly on developing its economic potential, not least through the expansion of its infrastructure and the development of tourism. The House regrets the recent cuts in external action assistance as foreseen in the Financial Perspective. Parliament calls on the Commission to earmark sufficient funds for the development of the country's infrastructure, in particular for the development of transport.

Parliament encourages Albanian governmental bodies to empower civil society by providing it with wider opportunities to participate in the formulation of policy and in the monitoring of its implementation and effectiveness at all levels of government to improve the quality and credibility of reform, as well as to increase transparency and accountability.

The House also stresses that there are still significant violations of human rights in Albania which should be addressed. MEPs urge the Albanian Government to implement the necessary reforms to give detainees access to defence in legal proceedings and to combat torture, brutality or inhuman or degrading treatment. Parliament calls on the government to carry out the relevant legislative reforms required for the full implementation of the 2003 Family Code, particularly as regards making domestic violence a criminal offence.

Finally, the House calls on Albania to make further efforts to protect minority rights, including the rights of the Greek minority in Albania, and to complete and implement its minority-related legislation so that it supports the implementation of the relevant international conventions ratified by Albania. The House  observes that further efforts are needed, in particular, as regards increasing the use of minority languages in citizens' dealings with the authorities and the display of traditional local names, improving access to the media for members of minority groups and extending minority language education. The House notes the shortage of accurate statistical information on national minorities.