TIRANA, Dec 7 /ATA/ – Albania is set to take another step towards opening accession talks with the European Union on the group of chapters related to “External Relations”, as the European Council will take stock of Albania’s steady progress in press ahead with reforms.
The decision is expected to be confirmed by the European affairs ministers from all EU member states as the Council will endorse their conclusions, recognizing the country’s advancements in EU-related reforms.
Based on the conclusions, the European Council will assess Albania’s progress in meeting the criteria on chapters 23 and 24 on judiciary and fundamental rights and the rule of law.
Albania should improve track records on the investigation, prosecution and indictment in high-level corruption cases, adjudication and final conviction of corruption cases, in particular at high level, including the final confiscation of criminal assets.
A day later, on December 18, Albania may open the third Intergovernmental Conference which would mark the opening of negotiations on cluster 6 in the area of External Relations.
The cluster covers a policy area where Albania’s progress has been particularly highlighted by the EU and the negotiations on this chapter may conclude soon as Albania has fully aligned its foreign policy with the EU’s common and foreign security policy, especially by joining EU member states in imposing sanctions on Russia following aggression on Ukraine, demonstrating its strategic choice of EU accession and its role as a reliable international partner.
Albanian government’s ambition is to complete the EU accession negotiation process by end of 2027 so that the country becomes a full-fledged member of the EU by the end of this decade.
/Klan News/ /m.m/ /a.g/u.sh/
