The noted MEP David Lega speaks for SYRI TV
 

Syri TV: Dear Mr Lega, you have been very critical of the media law package since last year and you recently spoke once more after Albania was degraded by Reporters without Borders. What do you think would be the EU related consequences if our government fails to rescind the law package. I am asking this also because media legislation is a condition set by the EU for calling the first Intergovernmental conference with Albania?

David Lega: Should the government go ahead with the so-called “anti-defamation package” that would put a question mark to Albania’s European aspirations? That would be a tragedy for the Albanians, especially now that the opening of the negotiations is close. For the membership negotiations to restart, Albania must demonstrate it shares and respects the European way of living. This legislation package has nothing to do with the values that mark this way of living.

Syri TV: You have been one of the very few who criticized the media law package. The other EP rapporteur, Santos form the SD spoke only once to praise the government that committed to wait the Venice Commission opinion. In Tirana the EU ambassadors have kept quiet with the exception of the Swedish one, Mrs. Håstad, who repeatedly voiced concern. Is caring for freedom of expression only a Swedish thing?

David Lega: No, it is not. While I appreciate the criticism of Ms. Håstad for the shame of the so-called “anti-defamation package”, there are a few other cases when the Swedish representatives have not done their job well, like Ms. Håstad didn’t in this case.

Syri TV: You have been warning Albania since last year not to tread over the Copenhagen criteria which are the minimum standards for an EU aspiring country. They are defined by the EU Treaty as stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities without which accession negotiations can’t start. Meanwhile Albania has no high and constitutional court since two years, the parliament and local government is single party ruled and drug related crime and money laundering, according to international reports, keeps rising. How do you explain that the EP keeps calling for negotiations without considering basic conditions? Is it just fear of third Powers in the Balkans or something else?

David Lega: There is no doubt Albania has a long, a very, very long way ahead before having the EU membership on the table. But the criteria of Copenhagen exist exactly for this reason, which is pushing the aspiring countries to improve when they chose to shortcut them, when they do not respond to stipulations and bypass the potential treaties to join the Union as full members.

Syri TV: The European Council pushed by Germany first (the Bundestag CDU conditions), France and the Netherlands adopted conditions for Albania upon which fulfillment the accession negotiations can start. Our ruling party doesn’t talk much about it but most of the public opinion considers this conditionality as a great help to restore some basic democracy. My question to you is about the role of the European Parliament. While the Commission for some reason was blindsided to the backslide in the country why wasn’t possible for your Parliament to notice the problem, ring the alarm bell and increase pressure like you did with the media laws since December?

David Lega: It’s not up to the European Parliament which country manages to open the membership talks and which doesn’t; the decision belongs to the European Council. And this is how it should be, because the European Union is never stronger than the combined will of its member countries. For that reason, when it comes to the European Parliament and its role in the process, I do not share the point of view that the alarm has not been sounded, but I believe this has been done repeatedly and consistently.

Syri TV: The EU 15 conditions refer in good part to problems created in the last years like punishing the vote buyers or scraping the muzzling media laws or ascertaining the validity of the 2019 municipal elections; other conditions are more generic. The Commission will report about progress in meeting them and the member states (the Council) will decide about starting the negotiations. Your Parliament has always unconditionally pushed for opening them. In this phase do you see a role for yourself and your EP colleagues working on Albania to deal with these conditions?

David Lega: It’s not true at all that the European Parliament “has always been pro the unconditioned opening of the negotiations” for Albania. In the contrary, the majority of my colleagues believe that Albania is very far from the EU accession, because the country does not fulfill the conditions for the opening of the negotiations. And make no mistake in this aspect: the opening of the negotiations is related to the (fulfillment of) conditions and it’s not a promised path to join EU. It’s enough to look at Turkey about that.