TIRANA (Albania), June 22 (SeeNews) – Albania should pay attention with priority to the restitutions, compensation and registration of property as stated in the latest country report of the European Commission, the head of the EU delegation in Tirana, Romana Vlahutin, said on Friday.
“The issue of property rights is one of fundamental human rights and as such, non negotiable for the EU,” Vlahutin said in a statement, following a public event on property rights held in Tirana.
The settlement of property rights issues will positively affect society, investments and development, the head of the EU delegation said.
“This decades long practice of corruption and abuse, coupled with illegality have ripped lawful owners from their peaceful possessions and caused social turbulence, conflicts with fatal outcomes for many families and has accumulated lot of frustration, and sense of injustice,” Vlahutin said
“However, there is a solution to every problem. Albania has embarked on a very comprehensive justice reform which should bring stability and accountability to the justice system and would hopefully also serve to protect fundamental rights, including the property rights of the Albanian citizens,” she added.
In April, the European Commission recommended that EU accession talks be opened with Albania in light of the progress achieved in the implementation of the EU's enlargement policy. The European Council will have to decide on June 28-29 whether to open membership negotiations with Albania. The Council granted the status of EU candidate country to Albania in 2014.