At the invitation of the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, participated in the informal meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the EU countries and their counterparts from the Western Balkans.

In his speech, Minister Hoxha emphasized that for Albania, EU enlargement is a strategic choice, as the strongest guarantee for long-term peace, stability and democratic transformation. “We also believe that enlargement is equally important for the European Union itself, as proven by the seven previous enlargement cycles. This process must remain merit-based, of course, but also credible, tangible and actively pursued”, declared Hoxha.

The Foreign Minister added that “Albania has continuously invested and will continue to invest in regional cooperation, because we remain convinced that there is no other sustainable alternative.”

Minister Ferit Hoxha’s message to X after the meeting:

Very pleased to participate today, for the first time in my new capacity, in the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union with their counterparts from the Western Balkans.

The key points I shared with European and regional colleagues:

The world as we once knew it has been profoundly shaken. The rules and certainties we long considered guarantees of stability now appear increasingly fragile. Overlapping crises, geopolitical fragmentation and intensifying strategic competition have moved to center stage. In such a context, unity of purpose and unity of action are no longer optional — they are imperative.

For Albania, unity means coming together in every possible format to build stronger cohesion, greater resilience and a clearer geopolitical vision. But ultimately, the clearest expression of that vision is enlargement and European accession.

For Albania, EU Enlargement is our lifeline, a strategic choice, a civilizational anchor and the strongest guarantee for long-term peace, stability and democratic transformation. We also believe enlargement is equally important for the European Union itself, as demonstrated by every previous seven enlargement cycles. It must remain merit-based, of course, but also credible, tangible and actively pursued. Whenever the process stalls, vulnerabilities emerge and hostile influences expand.

This is precisely why we must deepen cooperation in foreign, security and defence policy, while strengthening cohesiveness and strategic like-mindedness across Europe. For Albania, alignment with the European Union is not a menu from which to selectively choose. It is a standard and a commitment to be fully respected. In this regard, we allow ourselves only one percentage: 100%.

Strengthening Regional Cooperation also means addressing vulnerabilities honestly and resolving pending issues with determination. The Western Balkans have undoubtedly changed for the better, but important work remains. The Balkans of the past may belong to history, yet much still needs to be done for the region to fully deserve the political and democratic meaning of “Western”, and not merely its geographical definition.

Albania has consistently invested, and will continue to invest in regional cooperation and reconciliation because we remain convinced there is no viable alternative. In particular, the Normalization Process between Kosovo and Serbia cannot and must not become an empty slogan or a permanently postponed objective. Twenty-seven years after the tragic events of 1999, the region deserves a future defined by stability, mutual recognition, cooperation and European integration.

No country is immune to #Cyber or #HybridThreats. Albania’s experience has been painful and costly, but also instructive. We were seriously targeted, yet we learned, adapted and strengthened our resilience. We harbor no illusions: the closer we move toward the European Union, the more sophisticated and aggressive such threats will become, including through foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). This is why closer cooperation and stronger resilience are essential.

Albania will continue to pursue actively and unwaveringly its top national objective: membership in the European Union. We remain determined to do everything necessary to stay at the forefront of this historic process and make it a shared success, for Albania, for the region and for Europe.

It was heartening to see these convictions resonate strongly around the European table today.