TIRANA, Oct 21 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama voice optimism over Albania’s EU accession prospects, saying the country could become a full member of the European Union within this decade, provided reform momentum continues.
Speaking at the Future Resilience Forum 2025 on Tuesday in London on the sidelines of the Berlin Process annual summit, hosted this year by the United Kingdom, PM Rama emphasized Albania’s commitment to its European path and noted a shift in geopolitical attitudes toward the Western Balkans.
“If things continue this way, Albania will be a member of the EU within this decade. We are now experiencing a major acceleration on our path to the EU,” Rama said during a panel discussion.
Highlighting the importance of EU integration for regional stability, Rama noted a growing recognition among European leaders that the Western Balkans must be more closely tied to the bloc.
“Geopolitical importance is no longer just words – it is translating into action,” he said. “The EU is a unique historical reality with both external and internal borders. We are within those internal borders.”
For Albanians, EU integration carries deep symbolic and practical significance, he added.
“For us, the EU is more than politics – it is like a religion. Ninety-two percent of Albanians support EU membership,” Rama said.
He also underscored the importance of EU institutions as models for governance in countries like Albania, where democratic institutions are still developing.
“The EU is an extraordinary source of knowledge – on building an independent judiciary, maintaining checks and balances, and establishing strong institutions. This makes our future more secure than for countries without this path,” Rama concluded.
/r.e/a.f/u.sh/
