She said that, “Albania has paid high attention to the accession process and of course this has brought about the opening of EU accession negotiations. Your stand for a rules-based order in your UN Security Council term is exemplary

This honors you, it shows that we are a community sharing the same values.”

“Albania is showing that it is moving forward on the EU pathway. The enlargement report has shown the progress that Albania is making. You are strengthening the justice system. You have also adopted new measures to guarantee equality and inclusiveness. Your economy has recovered at a steady pace after COVID. These are achievements at a time of overlapping challenges,” Von der Leyen said.

The EC President said that the December 6 summit to be held in Tirana is of great importance.

“Prime Minister, dear Edi! I think Albania can be proud of its achievements. By words and deeds, the citizens of Albania have shown not only foresight, but also resilience. On December 6, we will meet again at the summit and it will be a very important meeting,” she said.
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At a joint news conference with PM Edi Rama, Von der Leyen said that we have worked hard for the opening of the first intergovernmental conference.

“I want to underline the fact that you have done your part, you have carried out your tasks. We have asked a lot of you and you have delivered on the requirements and we will do everything possible to overcome those difficulties and obstacles that should not stand in the way of enlargement process. I want to make myself very clear here, so I hope very much that we will start the first Intergovernmental Conference before the end of this year. This is my goal, ” Von der Leyen said.

Prime Minister Edi Rama also stated that President Von der Leyen wants to make sure that before the end of the year the first Intergovernmental Conference will be held and Albania will sit at the EU table and commence accession negotiations.

“This is the goal of the President. As for me, I have said it before and I repeat it, I do not bet on any date, deadline and I wait calmly no matter what happens next. We have prepared several times for the wedding, but the in-laws have not shown up. We will not prepare for the wedding next time. Yet, we continue to live up to our declarations of love, so when it comes to the wedding, it is up to in-laws,” Rama said.

The Prime Minister stressed that “we are very clear about our task, not because it is forced on us by Brussels, Berlin, Paris or united Europe, but by the future of our children.”

“We are lucky to be in the middle of Europe. It is a blessing for our children to be born and grow up in the middle of this continent, and no wall can keep us apart from the best space that humanity has organized for peace and security, which is the EU. Imagine if we were on another continent or desert, what fate would befall our children,” said Rama.

Rama stated that this is our destiny and faith, so we will continue to draw on the knowhow and experience of the EU, the support of the EU through the process.
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