TIRANA, April 30 /ATA/ – Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka on Thursday said Albania is making “fast and tangible” progress towards European Union membership, citing the pace of opening negotiation chapters as evidence of the country’s strong reform commitment.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Tirana alongside Albania’s Europe and Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha, Austria’s European and International Affairs Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár, Macinka said the joint visit underscored clear support for Albania’s EU path.
“We are here to support Albania on its journey towards EU membership,” he said, recalling that the country submitted its application in 2009 during the Czech presidency of the EU Council.
Macinka said Albania’s progress provides a solid foundation for the next stages of accession talks, highlighting what he described as “impressive” momentum in opening negotiating clusters over the past year.
He acknowledged that the process is entering a more demanding phase but said Albania has both the capacity and political will to advance.
Turning to the Western Balkans, Macinka stressed the region’s importance for Europe’s stability and security, reiterating that its countries belong in the EU and that their accession perspective must remain credible and merit-based.
He also described Albania as a reliable partner contributing to regional dialogue and cooperation.
The visit took place in the context of the Slavkov Three (S3) format, a political cooperation platform between the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, established in 2015.
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