TIRANA, Albania – German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on the Albanian political forces to pass a judicial reform package, considered fundamental to convince the European Union launch membership negotiations.
Steinmeier, who is to visit Tirana Tuesday, was quoted by the Albanian Mapo daily newspaper as calling on all political forces "to take over overall state responsibility and approve the reform at the parliament without delay."
Despite disapproval from the opposition Democratic Party, the United States and the European Union have called on Albania to complete the passage of the judicial reform, key to fighting corruption at all levels, especially in the judiciary.
The 140-seat parliament needs two-thirds of the vote to pass the package as it includes some constitutional amendments — numbers that cannot be achieved without the opposition Democrats.
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