TIRANA, May 26/ATA/ Following the conclusion of the 8th Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference today, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that Albania has officially transitioned into the concluding phase of its EU accession negotiations.
During a joint press conference with the Deputy Minister for European Affairs of Cyprus Marilena Raouna and Prime Minister Edi Rama, Kos stated that Albania has taken a major step in the European integration process.
“Today, we celebrate a landmark achievement for Albania. By fulfilling the October 2024 interim rule-of-law requirements, Albania becomes the second candidate country—after Montenegro—to reach this crucial stage in the accession process”, she said.
According to her, this is an achievement to be appreciated and the result of a long work that is not achieved overnight.
“When we confirm these interim milestones for the rule of law, we confirm that the work done in recent years in this area has been successful”, said Kos.
She praised the adoption of laws to protect fundamental rights and vulnerable groups, as well as the steps taken to guarantee the right to a fair trial for all citizens.
The Commissioner also mentioned the vetting process in the justice system, through which hundreds of judges and prosecutors have been dismissed or vetted, as well as the creation of new institutions of judicial governance, which have reduced political influence in justice.
She also praised the establishment of SPAK, describing it as the flagship institution of the fight against corruption in Albania and one of the most trusted structures in the country.
“This progress reflects the strong support of the Albanian people for deep reforms in the justice system. The transformation power of the EU accession process should be felt above all by Albanian citizens”, concluded Kos. /gj.m/r.e/ p.s./
