Speaking about the visit of the European Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, Gonzato stated that it was not only about the Reform and Growth Plan.

“The visit, as I mentioned, occurred at a time when the stars are aligning for Albania. We have just opened real negotiations, specifically for the cluster on fundamentals, which are extremely important in the accession process. We have also approved a Reform Agenda for Albania and other Western Balkan countries, which is a prerequisite for starting funding through the Reform and Growth Instrument and, consequently, for accessing those 900 million euros. The visit coincided with the inauguration of the academic year at the College of Europe. It’s symbolic, but I believe it’s very significant. It’s another element of this ‘alignment of stars’ that is currently happening here in Albania,” said Gonzato.

The ambassador stated that the Reform and Growth Plan aims to accelerate and support the accession process.

“The opening of the fundamentals cluster signifies that Albania must now seriously pursue reforms in essential areas, including the consolidation of the 2016 justice reform and the fight against corruption. Additionally, we need to prioritize prevention by assessing vulnerable sectors and determining how to address conditions that are susceptible to corruption,” Gonzato emphasized.

“Let’s examine the checks and balances in the country and ensure that every institution performs its duties independently and that this independence is respected. This process means there can no longer be hesitations. When a law is discussed in parliament, in the Assembly of Albania, the parameters, goals, objectives, are measured against EU standards and the EU acquis. We cannot beat around the bush and say we need more time to adapt or reach certain standards. This is the objective, because this is the will of the Albanian people. This is what they want to see happen,” he stated.

Gonzato emphasized that “the EU has responded to this with a very concrete offer. The offer is that we can open all chapters by the end of 2025. It’s ambitious, but it’s doable. However, this means that all resources, energies, and attention must be focused on that goal. It is also needed a clear political consensus. The Reform and Growth Plan was also a response from the European Union to this call for accelerating the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU.”

“And the logic behind is that, on one hand, it seeks to enable the countries in the region to start benefiting from certain aspects of the single market before membership. So, it’s a good way to gear up for the competition they will face once they become part of the single market. But it also provides them with the financial means to implement the reforms necessary to ensure that their economies can withstand the pressure,” he emphasized.

“And here, Gonzato added, ‘ 920 million comes into play. But it’s not a blank check. These are funds that will be disbursed once Albania meets all the specific conditions. These are public. The Reform Agenda has been consulted with the people and will now be published in its final form. These are very concrete commitments made by the government in four areas: human capital, the business environment, digital and green transitions, as well as the rule of law and good governance. This will also have a positive impact on the lives of Albanian citizens.’”

As to the recent outcome of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the continuous attacks on its chief prosecutor, Altin Dumani, Ambassador Gonzato remarked, “I won’t comment. However, I can say that the one factor influencing the European Union’s evaluation of the rule of law situation is the results being delivered by SPAK. As I’ve mentioned, we should permit SPAK to carry out its work.”

“We absolutely must not tolerate personal attacks against some representatives of these independent justice institutions. We need to protect them. And that is definitely my stance on this.”

Regarding his statement that “SPAK is playing a key and decisive role in Albania’s EU membership,” Ambassador Gonzato said, “It is quite clear that one of the requirements from the EU is to have a solid track record concerning the prosecution of high-level corruption cases here in Albania. The fact that SPAK has begun to do this is absolutely a positive sign. It indicates that the reform is working and yielding results.”

/j.p/sm/