TIRANA, March 7 /ATA/ – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated Tuesday that since its launch back in 2014, the Berlin Process had shown the tremendous potential that can be created through the all-inclusive cooperation among the Western Balkan Six.
Speaking a joint press conference with the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama after their meeting in Berlin, Scholz alsi stated that Western Balkans and its EU integration are very important to Germany and to his government. He also said that progress in Albania’s European Union membership negotiations is a very good signal.
“Western Balkans and its EU integration are very important to me. I would like to reiterate that the speedy EU integration of the six Western Balkan states is of strategic importance to the German government. We want to welcome them as soon as possible as member states. Since 2014, the Berlin Process has shown the tremendous potential that can be created through the all-inclusive cooperation among the Western Balkan Six,” Chancellor Scholz said.
“The participants in the previous Berlin Process in November signed three important agreements on establishing a common regional market. Albania spearheaded it by setting an excellent example and in January, it was the first country to ratify the three agreements signed last November. This represents a good model for the region and a significant step forward, because a common regional market would respectively guarantee the four freedoms, namely the free movement of people, goods, services and capital,” he added.
Focusing on the accession talks, the Chancellor noted that the essence of the negotiations is the strengthening of the rule of law. “Therefore, it is good news that members of criminal rings, as well as high-level officials in the region have been already indicted and convicted,” he said.
He also underlined that free and independent media are an essential part of our European democracies.
Scholz also commented on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The Russian aggression on Ukraine, a sovereign state in Europe, painfully reminds us of the fact that all the European achievements over the past decades, life in the space of freedom and democracy should not be taken for granted. We must commit ourselves to their protection and strengthening. Therefore, I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to thank Albania. Albania assumes great responsibility on an international level with its constructive role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, as a NATO member and as an OSCE member and in many international forums. Albania is fully aligned with decisions of the common foreign security policy of the European Union,” German Chancellor said.
/r.e/u.sh/
