TIRANA, July 14 /ATA/ European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described the closure of Albania’s first three negotiation chapters as an important milestone in the country’s European integration process.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne and Prime Minister Edi Rama, following the 9th Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference, Kos said the achievement represents a significant milestone for Albania and for the EU enlargement process.
“Today, we closed the first three chapters with Albania. This is a significant moment in the country’s journey towards EU membership. It is a ‘Super Tuesday’ for the enlargement process, and Albania is part of this achievement,” Kos said.
She explained that the chapters concluded cover scientific research, education and culture, as well as foreign relations.
“We closed chapters on scientific research, education, culture, and also external relations. Three have been completed, with 30 more remaining,” the Enlargement Commissioner said.
According to her, Albania is already part of the European family in these areas.
“Albania has been fully aligned with the EU’s foreign policy for many years. Albanian universities are part of the European research and innovation network, while the country participates in Horizon Europe. More than 50,000 Albanian students have taken part in Erasmus+ since the programme was launched in 2014,” Kos said..
The Enlargement Commissioner congratulated the Albanian authorities on the achievement, stressing that the progress was made possible after the country met the interim benchmarks on the rule of law.
“This was possible because Albania fulfilled the interim rule of law benchmarks last month. These interim benchmarks are a gateway that every candidate country must pass before it can begin closing negotiation chapters,” she said.
Kos said reforms must continue and accelerate, particularly in the fundamental areas of the EU accession process.
“This is an important milestone, but it also underscores the need to sustain and deepen reforms. Progress towards EU membership will continue to be guided by compliance with the fundamental chapters as Albania works towards its ambitious objective of closing all negotiation chapters by the end of 2027,” she said.
The Commissioner encouraged Albania to maintain momentum on reforms related to the rule of law, fundamental rights, the justice system, and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
“We stand ready to support Albania as it continues to pursue these essential reforms and ensures that decisions are taken in a transparent and inclusive manner. This process should involve all political forces, civil society and the wider public,” Kos said.
She also referred to opinion poll findings on public support for Albania’s European integration.
“In Albania, 92% of citizens support the country’s accession to the European Union. Some 94% believe EU membership would bring more benefits, while 93% say they trust the EU. These are the highest levels of support among all candidate countries,” Kos said.
According to Kos, reforms can succeed only if they involve all segments of society.
“Reforms that serve Albania can only succeed if everyone affected has the opportunity to be heard and to participate. That is how EU accession becomes a truly transformative process for candidate countries,” she said.
In conclusion, the Enlargement Commissioner stressed that both political commitment and strong public support are essential to the success of the European integration process.
“Political leadership and strong public support for EU membership are undoubtedly a powerful recipe for success. It is now in your hands to meet the expectations of Albanian citizens by accelerating alignment with EU rules and delivering tangible results through the reforms that matter most to them,” Kos concluded.
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