Meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs&nbsp;in the EP in Brussels. Vote on the Report on the 2016 Commission Report on Albania and statement by Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D,DE), Rapporteur. 62 votes: 52 in favor, 6 against, 4 abstentions. The report is adopted.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

statement

meeting

vote

FLECKENSTEIN, Knut (S&D, DE)

EU - Albania (T)

Report on the 2016 Commission Report on Albania: extracts from the vote and statement by Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&D, DE), Rapporteur

End of the vote. Total: 62 votes; In favor: 52; Against: 6; Abstention: 4 (3 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary terms, It is firstly and foremost of coursea judiciary reformwere we are very happy that now everything is gone through the Parliament and accepted by the Constitutional Court. So now the other side of themedial, we ask of course to go on to implement because it&rsquo;s nice have it on paper butit will bea success, a real success, is implemented. I know that the wedding processes starting there with international monitoring, so I&rsquo;m very happy that about this development.

SOUNDBITE (English), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary terms, I think for the question to open negotiations or not, as we clearly state up, we think that if implementation of the judiciary reform no starts and they should be very soon after the election the opening of negotiations, and we reallyhopethe Council will be agree on that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary terms, I think this is not big monitoring necessary in that case becausewetrust parliament and government, they have to deliver. Implementation, first steps, then I'm sure that negotiation will start.