TIRANA, April 24 /ATA/ Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Agron Gjekmarkaj is participating in the Conference of Speakers of the European Union, which takes place in Prague.
In the speech he delivered to the opening session of the Conference, Gjekmarkaj emphasized that, “We, the Albanians, do not hide it, on the contrary, we proudly affirm that we are the most pro-European people in the Western Balkan region”.
He said that, “I assure you that Albania does not have a plan B for its future, but is determined to advance towards the European destination. This destination is not imposed, but originates from the roots, identity, values and European vision of the Albanians”.
Gjekmarkaj said that the EU membership process of Albania and the countries of the Western Balkan should be accelerated.
“We would like the process of membership of Albania and the countries of the Western Balkan to get accelerated and not slowed down, being disguised or justified by procedural or methodological changes”, he said.
He added that, “In this way, there will be cut off the non-European and non-Western influences in the region which are neither hypothetical nor potential, but real and active, secret and in some cases even open. Likewise, democratic standards would increase and political life in the country would improve.”
Gjekmarkaj emphasized that, we must also learn lessons from the war in Ukraine while we are in the process of European integration.
“The countries of the Western Balkan are in different stages and are moving at different speeds towards the integration process. But, this should not serve as an argument for slowing down, but accelerating the move towards membership in the EU”, he concluded. /gj.m/r.e/p.s./
