TIRANA, February 21/ATA/ Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs considered today the draft negotiating position for the third cluster: “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth”, for the membership negotiations into the European Union.
To present this draft position, Minister of State and Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka stated that, “In these historic days, Albania is taking an important step ahead on its European path”.
“We are discussing with the Parliament of the Republic of Albania the opening of negotiations for 8 new areas of competitiveness and inclusive growth, after the European Union recognized Albania’s progress with reforms in this area, signaling that Albania is prepared to open them”, said Dhuka.
Dhuka underlined that, in the last 5 months, Albania has made great progress on the path of negotiations.
“In the last 3 months of 2024, Albania opened 10 chapters. During the current week, we have discussed with you 9 more chapters of the domestic market and today we are discussing with you 8 chapters of inclusive growth”, said Dhuka.
This means, added the Chief Negotiator, “During the last 6 months, Albania is making progress in opening negotiations for 27 chapters”.
“This is a unique, irreversible and merit-based process and is based on the positive recommendations of the European Commission and the assessment of the member states”.
Responding to the Chair of the Committee Jorida Tabaku, regarding the conduct of the committee meeting behind closed doors, Dhuka emphasized that, “The confidential nature of the discussions in this committee is stipulated by the law on the role of the Parliament in the European integration process and I do not think that I can comment further on the provisions of the law except to fully abide by them”.
Secondly, she ensured that, “The process of preparing the negotiating position is fully open. We have held 32 roundtable discussions with interest groups during 2024 and 2025 to discuss various issues of interest in these 8 areas”.
Dhuka added that, “There has also been consulted the European Reform Agenda; it has been published. Also, the National European Integration Plan that provides for the main measures that are also embodied in the negotiating position”.
“The negotiating position is only one aspect of the negotiation process that the legislator has foreseen to maintain its confidential nature due to the nature of the negotiation process with the EU. But, on the other hand, the conversation with all interest groups, the involvement of all institutions and the tools that we use, such as the National European Integration Plan, are fully open”.
After the vote by the members of the Committee, the session continued behind closed doors. /r.e/p.s./
