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The chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, spoke in an interview with DW about his visit to Berlin, enlargement, Serbia, the open Balkans and trips in times of energy crisis.
During a three-day visit to Berlin, the Chairman of the SP Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, with two of his colleagues, Etilda Gjonaj and Toni Gogu from the SP, met with a number of senior representatives of German policy responsible for foreign and enlargement policies. .
In an interview with DW, Balla said that the time has come to give an acceleration to the enlargement process and asked for Germany’s help.
Deutsche Welle: Mr. Balla, you have come here to lobby for Germany’s support for the opening of EU membership negotiations. Germany has long been pro. Why is lobbying still needed?
Tualant Balla: I believe that it is the right moment to think about a real acceleration of the process of membership of the Western Balkan countries in the European Union. The crisis in Ukraine should make us all here in Europe think of a greater union of Europe, including within it the countries of the Western Balkans as soon as possible.
You are talking about all the countries of the Western Balkans, including Serbia, while Serbia does not have its foreign policy in line with the EU…
I am referring to the Western Balkans as a whole. I think that the EU membership process should be based on the merit of each country. And as you dwell on Serbia’s foreign policy, I think that Serbia should give up the old tango of dancing at the same time with both the EU and Russia. But for me it is important that Albania can not continue to be prevented from starting membership talks due to a debate between a member state of the European Union and an aspiring country. The new German government must provide solutions, because after all we all know, what is the real role that Berlin plays in the internal decision-making of the European Union.
When you ask Serbia to position which side it is on. Has not the time come for Albania to position itself and give up the Open Balkans, which reduces Kosovo’s stepping stones in the negotiations with Serbia?
These should not be interconnected at any time. The Open Balkans Initiative is a hallmark of what the European Union stands for today. And I believe and hope that time will tell that Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina will join this initiative.
And a question that a protester in Albania can ask today. Every Albanian today must fasten his seat belt.
Has not the time come for such visits to probably be done digitally to save some money from the state budget?
After more than two and a half years of inability to meet with Bundestag colleagues, it was necessary for a four-way exchange of many issues, which must move forward. I think that today we Albanians in Tirana or elsewhere, should be much more united with each other. Ultimately, we must understand that we are on the brink of an even wider war than what is happening in Ukraine, and we must all face the consequences of this war together.
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