During his speech at the meeting on the analytical review of legislation Albania, North Macedonia, EU, after the First Intergovernmental Conference, Mazi said that, “This process will be long, complicated and difficult. So, there should be something motivating for us to work hard. The potential of the European Union for the continuation of European projects is great. The fate of European affairs has a great deal to do with my country. What happens in Europe is extremely important”.

We know that these talks, he added, will take a little longer. We rely on the best way of coordination to be able to deliver a good job of these talks on what starts after September.

“Our team consists of 30 negotiators that will deal with the 33 chapters. We know that many of the European laws will be at the local level, so the local government is at the negotiating table”, said Mazi.

Mazi said that, “Enlargement efforts have been delayed for 3 years; it has not been easy, but today we are very happy. This period has not been lost for us; it has been beneficial and advantageous because we are better prepared. Albania is ready and we are ready to work”, said Mazi./k.s/j.p/p.s./

“Bulgaria lifted its veto a week ago, yet it imposed several requirements or conditions that North Macedonia needs to fulfil. French proposal seem to contain such formulations that North Macedonia is exploring and consulting them. The proposal will hopefully address the concerns of both North Macedonia and Bulgaria. This would be good news. After two years of impasse and identity problems, it seems this issue is being finally solved. This approval should allow the EU to set a date for the first intergovernmental conference for Albania and North Macedonia,” Mazi said.

According to him, “this way, an end would be put to the collateral damage caused to our country.”

Mazi  added that with the Bulgarian veto lifted and the French proposal approved by the government and parliament in North Macedonia, the EU may decide by next week to open accession talks and hold the first intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia.

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“We are practically at a critical stage for the EU and for us. It is imperative that the EU enlargement process should continue, without any slow down. The European Commission, institutionally, wrote in the report of 2021 that Albania has met all the requirements for holding this conference this current year “, said Mazi.

He added that: “There is still hope that we shall not be left empty-handed by the end-of-year holidays. Let’s wait and see”.

Mazi said that, “The EU countries have no objections to Albania. All 27 countries are in favor of holding the conference, including Bulgaria. At the highest level of the state, Bulgaria officially declared a few days ago that Albania should be separated from North Macedonia and open the negations with the EU,” he added.

According to Mazi, “The ideal solution would be for the Conferences to be held for both countries at the same time. If it is not possible, it is logical and justifiable to ask the question: how long will Albania wait? Is there a deadline for resolving the dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia? It would be unfair, maybe even morally controversial, if this hostage-taking continued without knowing when it would end,” he stressed./p.s./

Chief Negotiator Mazi met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. They exchanged views on a number of important issues, such as regional cooperation, decisions on the negotiating framework for Albania, the first intergovernmental conference and stalemate due to dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

“There was presented Albania’s clear stance, including the arguments why the conference should be held as soon as possible, why the dispute should be resolved urgently and how long Albania should be held hostage, when it has nothing to do with this. The only alternative is to continue the integration process,” the statement said.

Minister Haavisto confirmed the understanding of the Finnish side and its support for Albania to meet all the requirements of the Council for holding the conference.

“Finland’s position has been and is a clear supporter of continuing the enlargement process without wasting any more time with Albania. Albania has met the requirements”, declared Haavisto.

Furthermore, the statement reads that they exchanged views on increasing and strengthening cooperation in other areas, such as education, agriculture, tourism, law enforcement institutions, etc.

The Chief Negotiator also held meetings with senior officials of the Ministry of Justice, forest resources management and public procurement, senior directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and negotiators of Finland’s accession to the EU, with the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee on Relations with EU and with the Director of Police at the Ministry of Interior in Finland. /j.p/p.s./

Albania’s chief negotiator for EU integration Zef Mazi said in an interview that, “the conditions have been met and EU countries accepted it, but the date for the First Intergovernmental Conference has been postponed due to the conflict between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.”

Asked why Albania did not secede from North Macedonia, Mazi said that in the history of the EU candidate countries, there are two cases in which the countries have joined the union individually, Greece and Croatia compared to others.

“The regional character of joining the union matters. The enlargement process should not be hindered or slowed down. Bulgaria thinks there is something to be resolved, this is a bilateral issue,” Mazi said.

Albania’s chief negotiator for EU integration, Mazi also commented on the position of the DP leader, Lulzim Basha.

Mazi said that Basha refused three times the requests to meet him in the light of the integration process. //a.i/

Albania’s chief negotiator for EU integration Zef Mazi, Ambassador Zef Mazi was received today in a meeting by the Ambassador, Diplomatic Advisor for Foreign Policy of the President of Croatia, Neven Pelicaris.

During the meeting, both interlocutors focused on various aspects of the long, rather complicated negotiation process with the EU.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the difficulties of the process, drawing special and high attention to many aspects, aimed at a more complete and in-depth preparation.

In his remarks, Ambassador Paselic reassured the full support of all Croatian institutions for the European integration of Albania and the holding of the First Intergovernmental Conference. //a.i/

Today, Mazi met in Zagreb Croatia Secretary of State for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombic, Croatian Prime Minister and former chief negotiator to Croatia’s accession to the EU, Ambassador Vladimir Drobnjak, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration Josip Salapic.

The Croatian hosts acknowledged and congratulated Albania on the great progress it has made in all areas of reform and on meeting all the requirements for holding the first Inter-governmental Conference.

They expressed optimism that there will be good news ahead. Chief Negotiator Mazi acquainted the interlocutors with the wide range of intensive preparations and reforms, the determination of the Government for their continuation without slowing down and without any slowdown because it is in the best interest of our country and people.

Chief Negotiator Mazi outlined a number of areas where Croatian support and assistance would be welcome.

The Croatian hosts expressed their full readiness and assured the Chief Negotiator of Croatia’s full support for Albania’s advancement towards the EU by holding the Conference and starting technical talks on the chapters of the EU legal corpus.

They underlined that Croatia’s support has been unwavering and will continue to be so. They also exchanged many opinions on continuation of cooperation and specific assistance in various and concrete areas. Croatia has quite good experience in this regard.

The interlocutors expressed their readiness to share this experience with Albania right away.

Chief Negotiator Mazi assured that Albania is fully mobilized to pursue reforms in many areas without slowing down. This is for the good of our country. Albania, fulfilling all the requirements of the European Council of March 2020, by merit of its work, expects a positive decision on the date of opening the negotiations. EU’s unchanging basic principle for evaluating candidate countries is just merit.

Chief Negotiator Mazi also met with Ermina Prljaskaj, Member of the Croatian Parliament and member of several key Parliamentary committees.

Chief Negotiator Mazi gave interviews to Croatian television. He will also meet with Ambassador Neven Pelicaric, the diplomatic adviser to the President of Croatia. /j.p/p.s./

Through a Twitter post, Mazi stated that he had a meeting with Jean-Louis Thill, Luxembourg’s director for European affairs and international economic relations, and Luxembourg’s ambassador to Albania Philippe Donckel.

Mazi stressed that Luxembourg supports the holding of Albania’s first intergovernmental conference with the EU.

Mazi also had a meeting with Peter Goldschmidt, Director of the European Center for Judges and Lawyers at the European Institute of Public Administration in Luxembourg

Mazi said that during the talks they had identified a number of areas and opportunities to train Albanian judges and lawyers.

Mazi also met with Matteo Rivellini, Head of Division at the European Investment Bank, and Guido Clary, Head of the EIB Unit in Luxembourg.

Mazi said that they discussed a series of projects that the EIB is carrying out and is ready and happy to carry out, to increase engagement and activities in Albania./p.s./

Chief Negotiator Mazi held a meeting with President of the North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski.

Mazi also held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani where they exchanged views on the EU membership process, forecasts for the approval of the negotiating framework and the organization of the first intergovernmental conferences with the EU.

After the meeting, the two senior officials held a joint press conference.

Chief Negotiator Mazi also met with Speaker of the Parliament of the North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi.  //a.i/

At a press conference with the Federal Minister for the EU and the Constitution of the Republic of Austria, Karoline Edtstadler and the Minister of State for Parliamentary Relations, Elisa Spiropali, Mazi said that, “along with the Minister Edtstadler we discussed about the package reform in the justice system”.

“Convey to your government and colleagues in the European Council the determination of Albania to unstoppably move forward with the same step on the path towards reforms, Mazi said while addressing to the Austrian Minister.

While for her part Minister Spiropali said that, “the Republic of Austria and especially the Minister Edtstadler are great supporters of the integration process of Albania and North Macedonia and the entire Western Balkans. Austria has played a key role as a very good connoisseur of the Western Balkans and Albania, but also a deep connoisseur of the reforms and processes that have taken place here.” //a.i/