Albania to sign pre-membership agreement with EU

Albania is to sign a pre-membership agreement with the European Union, considered as the first step in Tirana’s efforts to join the bloc, the government said today.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha will sign the deal on Monday in Luxembourg, his office said.

Albania initialled the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in February, along with the EU’s Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. The deal had to be approved by all 25 EU member countries before next week’s formal signing.

The EU has urged political forces in Albania to join forces to fight corruption and organised crime, improve the administration, create a truly independent judiciary and continue reforms to attract more foreign investment.

The tiny Balkan country, one of Europe’s poorest, was also urged to make deeper electoral reform and to ensure media freedom.