The European Commission (EC) has not changed its stance toward Albania. The annulment of the EC President’s visit to Albania does not mean that Brussels will not show the same interest for the country as before.

Natasha Buttler, spokeswoman of European Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule, explained that the annulment of Barroso’s official visit in Tirana should not be understood as an abandonment of Albania in its attempts to develop democratic reforms, which help the country come closer with Europe.

“Firstly, I want to explain something. The annulment of the visit does not mean that the European Union is giving up from its commitment to help Albania. On the contrary, the EC, Commissioner Fule and President Barroso have followed with attention the situation in Albania since the May 8 elections. Our eyes are now focused on this transparence and the rules that CEC is applying, as a key institution, which plays the fundamental role in this electoral process. We are following the situation with attention and we judge that there should be no political intervention in this electoral process. Of course, there can not be two different results, but only one, and it should be declared as soon as possible. So, this process should be realized in compliance with the defined rules and norms. As I said, we are following the situation every day, hour after hour,” said Buttler.

In this declaration, Buttler emphasized another time that the realization of the European norms and international standards of these elections is a main political criterion for the evaluation of Albania’s request to be accepted as a candidate country to the European Union.