TIRANA, April 8 /ATA/ – Albania aims to conclude accession negotiations with the European Commission by 2027 and secure European Union membership by 2030, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a meeting of the ruling Socialist Party assembly in the northern city of Lezha, the government head said the timeline was based on an agreed roadmap with the European Commission rather than political ambition.
“What was once dismissed as unrealistic is in fact a jointly agreed plan with the European Commission, with a clear timeline and a set of obligations for Albania to fulfil,” Rama said.
He said negotiations were expected to wrap up in 2027, after which member states would require roughly two years to ratify Albania’s accession through their national parliaments.
Rama said Albania had opened all negotiation chapters in record time, reflecting both domestic reform efforts and the European Union’s increased readiness to engage.
He noted that the accession process depends not only on a candidate country’s progress but also on the political will of EU member states.
“The process is not determined solely by what you deliver, but also by how ready member states are to move forward,” he said.
Rama described the process as operating on two levels: technical assessments by the European Commission, followed by unanimous political approval from the 27 EU member states.
“At the technical level, progress is measured against specific reforms and alignment with EU legislation. At the political level, unanimity is required, and a single objection can halt the process,” he said.
He added that Albania had gained unprecedented levels of trust and credibility among EU partners, creating what he described as a window of opportunity.
“We have our moment. We have done our part, but we must seize this opportunity while it exists. The EU’s door will not remain open indefinitely,” Rama said.
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