Concerning issues in Albania’s rule-of-law are being exposed through the cracks of the so-called ‘Flamingo Revolution’ affair – and far beyond nature conservation – to the extent that its EU accession may be at stake.
It’s been 45 days of continued protest on Albania’s streets in response to a Trump family-backed €1.6bn resort in a protected environmental area.
The movement’s strength caused a pause in construction and expressions of concern from European institutions as the Balkan nation faces its last hurdles for EU membership.
As the EU finalised talks for three more of its 33 negotiating chapters with Albania during an accession conference on Tuesday (14 July), the European Parliament’s committee on the environment debated how Albanian membership can go ahead with the issue of conservation still looming.
Greek-Albanian MEP Fredis Beleris from the majority European People’s Party spoke on how the newly-closed chapters on science and research, education and culture, and external relations, give the wrong idea on Europe’s priorities with regards to Albania.
