Albania has made good progress over recent months and now meets the criteria for non-EU member states to join the visa-free regime.
LJUBLJANA, February 12, 2010 (AFP) - Albania has made good progress over recent months and now meets the criteria for non-EU member states to join the European Union's visa-free regime, its foreign minister said here Friday.
"Albania today meets all the criteria set by the European Commission for the visa liberalisation and we hope for a positive evaluation soon," Ilir Meta told a news conference.
In December, Brussels abolished visas for citizens from Balkan states Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro after their governments met all the necessary requirements.
Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo were not considered ready just yet.
"What we have been doing so far grants us that Albania will soon get a positive evaluation soon, hopefully Bosnia will get it too," said Meta, who is also Albania's deputy prime minister, after meeting his Slovenian counterpart Samuel Zbogar.
European foreign ministers in November agreed that Albania had made important progress and should be considered for official EU candidate status, a key step forward for the small southern nation's membership ambitions. (Javno, Albanian Diaspora)
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