CSDP framework agreements: Albania No, Serbia Yes

(BRUSSELS2) The framework agreement allowing the participation of Albanians in European Union peacekeeping missions was not finally endorsed by the Foreign Ministers of the 27 on Monday (23 May). It should be a formality normally. The text was also inscribed in point A. But the situation in Albania forced the subject to be postponed.

Failed political maturity test for Albanians

The local elections, organized on May 8 - which had the value of a national test and were under close surveillance (more than 5000 observers) - did not produce the hoped-for result; bad organisation, ballots, slowness in announcing the results, appeal to the streets of opposition candidates, etc. In short, Albania failed this test of "political maturity", a test which could have qualified it as a candidate country. And collateral damage, the CSDP agreement. Nobody says it officially. But we understand that approving the agreement under these conditions would have had a completely different political meaning than the content of the agreement.

Serbs sign tomorrow

On the other hand, the signing of an identical agreement with the Serbian authorities - which had been postponed for a time - is indeed scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) in Belgrade, in the presence of the High Representative who is traveling to Serbia and Kosovo on Thursday and Friday.

Read also:

• The CSDP framework agreements concluded by the EU with third countries?
• A framework agreement for Albania's participation in EU missions
• Serbia to sign agreement for participation in EU defense missions in May