The report was approved by a large majority after receiving backing from the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in May.

“Today, the European Parliament adopted its report on Albania’s EU accession process with an overwhelming majority,” Hoxha said. “With 483 votes in favour out of 656 members participating in the vote, representing nearly 74% support, Parliament has once again reaffirmed its strong backing for Albania’s path towards EU membership and acknowledged the significant progress our country has made in key areas of reform.”

Hoxha described the vote as a further expression of confidence in Albania’s European future and in the transformation achieved through years of reforms and sustained efforts.

“The message is clear: Albania’s European journey is moving forward, our reform efforts are delivering tangible results, and our goal of joining the European Union is both realistic and achievable,” he said.

The Minister thanked the European Parliament, the report’s rapporteur, Andreas Schieder, and supporters of what he called a credible, fair and merit-based enlargement process.

At the same time, Hoxha acknowledged that substantial work remained ahead.

“That is precisely the purpose of the accession negotiations: to continue implementing the reforms needed to meet membership standards and ensure lasting transformation,” he said.

Hoxha said Albania remains fully committed to maintaining the current pace of reforms, completing accession negotiations by 2027 and securing full EU membership by 2030.

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Speaking at a meeting of the party’s parliamentary group, Berisha said the DP would base its programme on the report, focusing on merit-based integration, which he said is repeatedly emphasised.

He also praised a fact-finding mission by Members of the European Parliament, who recently visited Albania to assess the political and institutional situation.

“Let us be realistic: this excellent report is not our achievement. We have done our part, but it is the work of those who came on a mission with the most serious assessment of the situation in Albania,” Berisha said, adding that the report, drafted by socialist MEP Andreas Schieder and amended by other groups, was adopted unanimously.

Berisha said the report highlights problems with elections, noting that while the legal framework is generally deemed suitable for competitive polls, it identifies serious shortcomings in implementation, including an uneven playing field, misuse of state resources, pressure on voters and allegations of vote-buying.

“The framework allows for competitive elections, not that elections themselves were competitive,” he said, adding that the report points to “persistent failings” and blurred lines between state institutions and party structures.

Berisha described the report as “the most legally grounded and accurate characterisation of the electoral farce in Albania.”

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“Albania is determined and committed to its European path to achieve the strategic objective of full membership in the European Union,” Begaj said in a statement.

The committee approved the report, initiated by rapporteur Andreas Schieder of the Socialists and Democrats group, with 58 votes in favour, seven against and seven abstentions.

Members of the committee welcomed Albania’s strong commitment to EU integration and the rapid progress made in recent years, while calling on authorities to ensure that adopted legislation is fully implemented.

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In a press statement, the main opposition Democratic Party leader also alleged that international courier service DHL deliberately had delayed the delivery of thousands of ballots to diaspora voters, particularly those supporting the opposition.

Berisha compared the delays to historical instances of postal manipulation, accusing DHL’s Albania branch of corruption and collusion with the ruling Socialist Party.

“They held back ballots for weeks, some even for 25 days. This is not just mismanagement; it’s electoral sabotage,” he said.

Berisha claimed that many ballots were delivered after the legal deadline, rendering votes invalid, and claimed that “millions of euros” were misused in the process. He also criticized the quality of signature records, suggesting widespread forgery.

DP leader vowed further investigation, saying the opposition has reviewed a sample of 5,000 ballots and may seek to examine the entire pool of 240,000 votes cast from abroad.

Berisha also announced opposition’s plans for mass protests to coincide with the reopening of Parliament in September. He said protests were long overdue and urged citizens to rise in defense of free and fair elections.

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In statements following the vote on Wednesday, Albanian government members expressed gratitude to the European Parliament’s major political groups and the European Commission for their strong support of Albania’s bid to join the EU within this decade and voiced commitment to speed up reform efforts.

Taulant Balla, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Relations, welcomed the outcome, calling it clear recognition of Albania’s progress.

“The key message of this year’s report is that Albania is leading the Western Balkans in the EU integration process,” Balla said in a social media post.

Justice Minister Ulsi Manja also hailed the report’s adoption, stating that “Albania continues steadily, with confidence and determination, on the path towards Europe.”

“The path is open. Now is the time to move faster, more united, and with greater resolve towards the European family,” Manja added.

The EP vote follows a debate held a day ago and a previous endorsement on June 4 by the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET). The report reviews Albania’s progress during 2023 and 2024.

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In a statement following the Foreign Affairs Committee’s approval of the annual report on Albania, Balla also praised the rapporteur Andreas Schieder, noting that the report highlights Albania’s commitment to the EU membership goal and the country’s progress.

“But, the report also emphasizes the importance of maintaining the reform momentum, particularly the justice reform, the fight against corruption and efforts to improve the social and economic model,” Balla added.

In his statement, rapporteur Andreas Schieder said that “Albania can proudly be called a front runner among the EU accession candidates, but we are not at the finishing line yet.”

“It is crucial to continue on this path with the same pace and dedication, fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law. There needs to be a clear emphasis on broadening the economic model, creating jobs and improving the social welfare model, as well as on a comprehensive and inclusive electoral reform”, Schieder remarked.

The reports will be submitted for a vote in the European Parliament during an upcoming plenary session, marking another key moment in Albania’s EU integration process.

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Kosovo’s achievements in EU-related reforms, the fight against organized crime and corruption, consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, economic development and improvements in the country’s legal order are just some of the examples mentioned in the report.

In a press statement, the government said that regarding the dialogue process based on mutual recognition, “Kosovo is commended as a constructively committed party.” According to the statement, the report condemns Serbia “for the escalating actions committed by actors sponsored by Serbia, including illegal blockades, violent attacks and the threat of military action, as well as their de-recognition campaign and the vote against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe.”

The report notes that the European Parliament welcomes Kosovo’s application for EU membership.

According to the government, the EP Report highlights and commends Kosovo’s commitment to dialogue with Serbs in the country’s north during the past year.

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