TIRANA (Albania), December 23 (SeeNews) – The European Union said it called upon the Albanian authorities to start swiftly with the implementation of the evaluation of judges and prosecutors, as part of the country’s judicial reform.
“This is essential for the advancement of Albania's EU-accession process and long awaited by the Albanian citizens,” the delegation of the European Union to Albania said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement comes as a result of Albania’s Constitutional Court ruling, which declared the vetting law, unanimously adopted in July, to be in line with the constitution, thus paving the way for a thorough and comprehensive reform process of the judicial system.
In November, the European Commission issued a formal recommendation that the launch of accession negotiations with Albania should be opened, provided that the country reforms its judiciary.
The Commission’s recommendation is not binding for the Council of the European Union - the institution representing the member states' governments - which must make the decision for the opening of accession talks by voting unanimously.