EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos has stated that Albania is making historically rapid progress in its EU accession negotiations, suggesting that 2027 could be a pivotal year for concluding the process.
“Accession negotiations with Albania are progressing faster than ever. I have reiterated that this progress clearly reflects Albania’s continued commitment and support,” said Kos, highlighting that the enlargement process also requires active engagement from all levels of society.
She added that the inclusion of the entire society will be crucial for Albania to reach its goal of closing negotiations by 2027 - an ambitious but, in her words, achievable target, provided reform efforts continue.
A new momentum for EU enlargement
This statement comes at a time when EU enlargement has returned to the top of the Union’s agenda, particularly in light of geopolitical challenges such as the war in Ukraine and the need to stabilise the Western Balkans. The EU has repeatedly underlined that it sees the region’s future within the Union, but has also made clear that the pace of accession will depend solely on the candidate countries’ results.
Albania, along with North Macedonia, officially began EU accession talks in July 2022, following years of political and technical obstacles. Reforms in the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, and strengthening of institutions remain central to the negotiations.
Kos’s statement is seen by analysts as encouragement for Albanian authorities, but also as a signal to other candidate countries that the EU is seriously considering enlargement, provided that key reforms are implemented.
At a recent EU-Western Balkans meeting in Skopje, held within the EU’s Growth Plan for the region, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama echoed a similarly optimistic message. He stated that Albania is now closer than ever to joining the European family.
“We are very close - we’ve never been closer - and I firmly believe we will meet all our commitments as planned, including deadlines with the European Commission, and that the joint plan will be fully implemented,” Rama said, adding that close cooperation with the European Commission and mutual coordination have brought tangible progress in meeting the conditions and standards set by Brussels.
(EUpravo zato)
