The Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference is scheduled to take place following approval of the decision by representatives of EU member states in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER). With this step, Albania will have provisionally closed four of the 33 negotiating chapters.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said on Monday that four intergovernmental conferences were planned with Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, describing the development as evidence that the EU enlargement process was moving forward.

“Following the decision by the member states, we now have the prospect of holding four intergovernmental conferences with Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine. This will be the third time since June that four intergovernmental conferences have been held on the same occasion,” Kos said.

She stressed that the development sent a clear signal about the momentum behind EU enlargement

“This is a clear sign that the enlargement process is moving forward. The countries leading this process are delivering on their commitments, and we are doing our part,” Commissioner Kos said.

Chapter 20 covers policies aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and industrial development, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, improving the investment climate and enhancing the competitiveness of the economy.

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Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Oct. 12, Kos criticised changes to the legal framework while judicial proceedings are still under way.

“I want to be clear that amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers run counter to Kosovo’s fundamental obligations towards the EU. This is unacceptable,” Kos stated.

Changing the rules while court proceedings are ongoing runs counter to international rule-of-law standards, she added.

“My message is very simple. European enlargement is moving forward. If candidate countries take steps backwards, they are not on the right track and will not be able to become EU members,” she added.

Kos’s remarks came after Kosovo’s parliament approved amendments last week to the law governing the functioning of the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, commonly known as the Kosovo Specialist Court.

The amendments were proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) just five days after a Sept. 16 verdict in which the Specialist Chambers sentenced former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders – Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi – to a combined 81 years in prison for war crimes.

All four pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.

The amendments seek to narrow the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers by restricting the period covered by the court’s mandate and the categories of criminal offences it can try.

Among other provisions, they would cap prison sentences at 15 years, allow appeals to Kosovo’s Supreme Court and permit sentences to be served in Kosovo.

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In a message supporting the campaign launched by the EU Delegation in Albania, McGrath stressed the importance of strengthening consumer protection rules, particularly on food safety, price transparency and the right to refunds or replacements for defective products.

“Like consumers throughout the European Union, Albanian consumers deserve safe food, high-quality products and fair treatment. We achieve this by strengthening consumer protection rules both in the EU and in Albania,” he said.

“At our tables, we want food that has been properly tested. On supermarket shelves, we want clear prices without hidden charges, and when something goes wrong, we want refunds or replacements if a product is defective,” McGrath added.

He also said EU rules would help protect Albania’s culinary heritage by ensuring that authentic local products were safeguarded against imitations.

“It is important to stress that EU rules will also respect and preserve Albania’s proud culinary heritage. This will ensure that your authentic local foods are protected from imitations,” he said.

McGrath welcomed the opportunity to join the EU Delegation’s consumer-rights awareness campaign and said he looked forward to Albanian consumers enjoying the benefits of EU membership.

The EU Delegation in Albania said it would publish practical information on consumer rights in the coming weeks, covering food safety, online shopping and financial services.

“From food safety to online shopping and financial services, in the coming weeks we will provide practical information on your rights and what to check before making a choice. Albania’s path towards the EU also means greater protection in everyday life: safer food, clear prices and fair treatment for every consumer,” the delegation said, using the slogan: “Look carefully, choose wisely.”

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In a social media post following a meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama, McGrath said Albania has made significant progress but still had important work to do before joining the EU.

“The place for Albania is in the EU, and it is one of the frontrunners in the EU accession process,” McGrath said, adding that the bloc would continue to support the country throughout its path to membership.

Their talks focused on Albania’s progress in implementing judicial reforms and strengthening the rule of law, which McGrath described as the “political anchor” of the accession process.

He also praised the Albanian government’s progress to date, saying the country has established a strong track record of reforms and a clear ambition to join the bloc.

“There is a strong track record of progress and a clear ambition. Now, this momentum must be maintained to deliver lasting and irreversible results,” McGrath said.

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The meeting focused on the functioning and institutional capacity of the Constitutional Court, implementation of its rulings and its responsibilities following the completion of Albania’s judicial vetting process.

They also discussed consolidating justice reform and strengthening the independence of the justice system, the court said.

Papajorgji stressed the importance of dialogue with the European Commission as Albania advances its EU accession negotiations. She said the Constitutional Court remained committed to upholding the Constitution, protecting fundamental rights and maintaining the balance between state powers.

McGrath praised the court’s work and reaffirmed continued support for the administration of constitutional justice.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of McGrath’s cabinet and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST), as well as EU Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa and representatives of the EU Delegation in Tirana.

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Konjufca’s letter follows comments by Serbian Minister Snezhana Paunović, who said that, had she been in the position of former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo in 1998.

In a post on X, Konjufca said such rhetoric from a serving government minister could not be dismissed as a mere slip of the tongue.

He called for a “clearer and stronger” public response from the European Union, saying it was essential to uphold the bloc’s commitment to preventing atrocity crimes, rejecting hate speech and combating historical revisionism.

Konjufca also urged the EU to publicly condemn the minister’s remarks and to address the issue within the framework of its political dialogue with Serbia and the country’s European Union accession process.

He requested an early meeting or phone call with Kallas to discuss the matter further.

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Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland, Kos praised Albania’s progress, saying the country was at an advanced stage of accession negotiations and close to closing negotiating chapters, marking a significant step toward meeting the bloc’s membership criteria.

She said the pace of reforms and sustained institutional commitment remained crucial to maintaining momentum in the enlargement process.

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Speaking in a press conference in Brussels a day ago, EU Enlargement Commissioner noted that Albania remains among the frontrunners in the European Union’s enlargement process and had made significant progress in environmental protection, achievements she said should be safeguarded.

Commenting on the debate surrounding the planned investment in the Zvërnec area, Kos stressed the importance of relying on facts.

“The European Commission is in continuous contact with the Albanian authorities, not only with Prime Minister Edi Rama. We recently had a visit from our Director for the Western Balkans, Valentina Superti, who met Albania’s environment minister in Tirana last week,” Kos said.

Referring to the Pishporo-Nartë project, she said that, like all development projects in Albania, it would have to comply with the country’s legal framework and with EU environmental requirements under Chapter 27 of the accession negotiations.

“Chapter 27 is currently open. Before it can be closed, all outstanding issues will need to be fully clarified. At present, its closure is envisaged by the end of 2027,” she said.

Kos said the Commission’s role would be to verify whether the relevant environmental standards had been met.

“Until then, we encourage the Albanian authorities to continue taking the steps necessary to meet the benchmarks for closing the chapter and to help Albania advance on its European path,” she added.

Kos said the European Commission had received assurances from the Albanian government that a full environmental impact assessment would be carried out and that European environmental standards would be respected.

“The fact that this is taking place while Albania is undergoing the accession process is important. The process is legally and politically binding and is subject to continuous monitoring and assessment. It therefore provides the strongest guarantee that Albania’s nature and environment will be protected in line with European standards,” she said.

Kos also underlined the importance of the right to protest.

“It is a fundamental right in our Union and for all countries aspiring to join it. I am pleased to see that this right is respected in Albania,” she said.

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Speaking in a Brussels panel alongside the Albanian Ambassador Ferit Hoxha and the Greek Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, the EU Enlargement Commissioner forwarded the proposal for a national pact to accelerate the country’s EU membership, emphasizing the need for for a collective effort.

“Make EU accession a national project,” Kos said, citing Slovenia’s example and strategy of bipartisan support for its EU membership.

EU Enlargement named Albania and Montenegro as frontrunners for EU accession by 2030.

According to her, 10 intergovernmental conferences will take place during the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union to close crucial clusters of accession negotiations with Tirana and Podgorica.

On his part, Albanian Ambassador to EU, Ferit Hoxha, expressed Albania’s readiness to conclude the accession negotiations by 2027, saying EU’s readiness for enlargement is real now.

“We are ready to finish negotiations by 2027 and join the EU by the decade’s end,” Hoxha said,

Greek Ambassador to EU, Ioannis Vrailas, highlighted Albania’s strengthening ties with the neighboring Greece and called for continued focus on reforms.

Participants underlined that the EU must prepare to accommodate 30 members as enlargement progresses.

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Sharing images of this meeting on the social media, the government head said that the talks focused on achievements and the challenges facing agriculture sector in the framework of the partnership with the European Union.

PM Rama noted that the EU assistance and support is key to tremendous transformation of Albanian agriculture.

PM Rama is on a visit to Brussels to attend the Global Gateway, an international gathering focusing on current challenges facing Europe and international cooperation.

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