Honorable chairmen of the EU-Albania Stabilization Association Parliamentary Committee.

Dear members of the Commission,

It is a pleasure to participate in this 17th meeting of the EU-Albania Stabilization-Association Parliamentary Committee.

Allow me from the beginning to express my appreciation for the great support that this Chamber has given to Albania in its European Integration process. The latest report of the European Parliament on Albania, approved by the majority in the plenary session, is a strong proof of this support. I would also like to underline on this occasion the call made by the European Parliament to the European institutions for Albania’s membership in the EU by 2030.

The role of the European Parliament is valued in providing institutional and public support for our EU integration process and in this context, I would like to congratulate the honorable members of this Parliamentary Stabilization Association Committee for their work and great contribution.

Since our last meeting in July 2023, the security situation in the Western Balkans region, driven by developments in Europe and the Middle East, remains worrying. Indeed, the situation is more fragile today than at any point in the past decade.

This is a reminder of why our region’s integration into the EU is so crucial. Only through EU integration, our region can be guaranteed a bright future, in peace, stability and prosperity. The only answer to the challenges of our region, from the legacy of the past to the intervention of malicious third parties, is the consolidation and strengthening of strategic cooperation with the EU in matters of security, in matters of foreign policy, in matters of the rule of law and in matters of economic development.

Illegal Russian aggression against Ukraine has produced a major shift in EU thinking towards our region, including a new focus on Enlargement. Albania supports the political decisions of December 2023 in the Council, which again gave priority to geopolitics and security, as in 2022, advancing countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on the road to the EU, as well as opening the way to negotiations of membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council failed to take the decision to move forward with Albania. In our opinion, this was a missed opportunity to put into practice the commitment to expand with our region, as well as for a reliable and predictable EU membership path.

In addition to the negotiation process, building sustainability and supporting economic and social convergence should determine the new prioritization agenda of the Western Balkans region.

We welcome the Commission’s proposal for the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as a way for the region to gradually benefit from increased access to the EU market, as well as to narrow the convergence gap between the region and the EU. We urge this Committee to encourage the adoption without delay of the Growth and Growth Facilitation Plan.

Dear members,

We look forward to the next step in our accession negotiations. But we are not sitting idly by.

On the contrary, the Albanian government has continued to maintain an overall focus on the EU reform agenda, despite the challenge of addressing the economic and social consequences of the triple whammy of the 2019 earthquake, the pandemic, and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

Comprehensive justice reform has continued, resulting in good progress overall.

The temporary re-evaluation of all judges and prosecutors – the vetting process – has continued to progress steadily.

SPAK has continued its activity, especially by giving some important final decisions on matters related to high state officials.

Albania continued its efforts in the fight against corruption and this has yielded results.

Strong and fruitful cooperation with EU member states, Europol and Eurojust has continued and led to tangible results.

Albania has continued to show commitment to fight the production and trafficking of cannabis.

Progress has been made in seizing and confiscating assets related to organized crime.

The core principles of the European Union, including respect for all human rights, especially minority rights, democracy and the rule of law, are ideals that Albania has developed as values ​​and is committed to preserving and protecting, internally and externally. country.

Albania has a complete harmonization with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. It is working with other like-minded countries in the region, namely North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, to promote alignment with the EU’s Common External Security Policy and to demonstrate the values ​​of partnership and of the same opinion as the EU, in the most difficult security situation for Europe after the Second World War. Albania has just finished its two-year mandate on the UN Security Council and started its mandate on the UN Human Rights Council and the UNESCO Executive Board.

Albania continues to offer an important contribution to the process of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, fully dedicating itself to this goal, also within the stabilization-association process. Albania actively participates in all regional initiatives and regional frameworks and works proactively for the sustainability of our progress in the European Integration process.

In 2023, Albania chaired the Berlin Process and hosted the Summit, with the main event being the Leaders’ Summit on October 16, 2023.

After the first intergovernmental conference with the EU on July 19, 2022, Albania has advanced further with the analytical review of the EU acquis, completing the review of all negotiation groups within the anticipated time frame, with dedication and a preparation of excellent, which led to positive results. I take this opportunity to thank the Commission and the EEAS for their work. I also want to thank the more than 1000 Albanian public administration experts who participated and gave a detailed picture of where Albania stands in relation to the EU acquis and how eager Albania is to take this work forward.

All of us, the Albanian government and the Albanian people look forward to taking the next step in the integration process by opening the “Cluster” without further delay in 2024.

On behalf of the Albanian Government, I would like to assure this committee of its strong commitment to work closely with the Parliament on this priority for our country and people.

Thank you again for your cooperation and efforts in supporting our EU integration process. I believe that our close cooperation, our efforts in the implementation of the agenda and reforms related to the EU and your support will help us to fulfill our common objectives and bring Albania closer to EU membership.