Brussels says ok to candidacy and negotiations

Albania might become the next country in the Western Balkans to be candidate to EU membership, reports a document prepared by the European Commission to be made public on October 10. According to the Commission report examining possible EU enlargement, dialogue between government and opposition in Albania has led to overcome the political stalemate. "The contry largely superseded political differences by adopting electoral and parliamentary reforms". Tirana, the report says, has made a "substantial progress", with regards to the priority key established by the European Commission to obtain the status of candidate country and the opening of accession negotiations. After three years of failed requests to become an official candidate country in April 2009, Albania appears finally ready to pass the exam in Brussels, winning on October 10 a positive opinion by the European Commission. A recommendation that will go straight on the table of EU Council in December, where the Member States will make a decision. In the likely case of a positive decision, Albania will become the fifth country in the Western Balkans to be candidate to join the EU after Croatia (which will make its entrance in July 2013), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Some other candidate countries remain to be added, such as Turkey and Iceland, while Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo will remain in the waiting room.