TIRANA, October 8/ATA/ Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka participated in the 7th edition of the “Tirana Connectivity Forum” where she highlighted that the potential of the Open Balkans is one of the greatest advantages that the region can offer.
According to her, Albania and the Western Balkans have always served as a bridge between East and West, and when it functioned as such the region has seen development.
“Albania and the Western Balkans as a whole want to become part of the European Union. In Albania, in fact, support for European integration is at levels that today are unimaginable for any member state. And of course we are working hard, to do everything to narrow the gap of development, modernization, rule of law that separates us from the EU. A lot of work and a lot of progress has been made, which are recognized today even by those who were once the most skeptical towards the achievements of Albania and the Western Balkans. So what has changed is not our desire and commitment to the European dream. “What has changed is that we have realized that we can no longer expect only from the EU and that the paradigm that has defined our relationship with the EU must change,” said Xhaçka.
Xhaçka underlined Corridor VIII, as one of the most interesting ideas in the direction of interconnection. According to her, the idea of corridors should be re-conceptualized as corridors of economic and cultural integration, synergy and exchanges. /r.e/p.s./
