At a media briefing after the publication of the EC report, Xhaçka said that “the European Commission presented on Tuesday the 2021 progress report on EU Enlargement Policy together with the annual reports, an annual practice that assesses the progress of enlargement countries and recommends implementation of reforms related to the EU accession agenda. ”

“The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs welcomes this year’s communication and the conclusions of the report for our country, which convey positive assessments of what has been achieved during this year, as well as set clear references for our work on the European agenda next year. Despite the challenging pan-European context and the setbacks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission assesses that Albania has continued to hold firm on implementation of reforms laid down in the European agenda and has yielded concrete and tangible results,” she said.

Xhaçka said that “the report emphasizes that Albania has stepped up its efforts and has produced further results, tangible and sustainable, in the key points identified in the conclusions of the Council.”
“This year’s report reflects the progress achieved during the last year in meeting all the requirements for holding the First Intergovernmental Conference. The European Commission is clear and reaffirms that Albania has met all the requirements related to the March 2020 Council Conclusions for holding the First Intergovernmental Conference. Other than that, we feel uplifted to see that our country is at the forefront in the regional context, receiving a higher rating in the Commission’s assessments in key areas related to the rule of law, in particular justice reform and the fight against corruption. organized crime. More specifically, the Report states that the Constitutional Court has become operational since December 2020 and that Albania has continued to meet all the conditions and make further, sustainable and significant progress in addressing the other priorities outlined by the Council. The report emphasizes that the results in justice reform have continued, the courts are operational and Vetting has continued at a regular pace. The report notes the satisfactory progress achieved in the operational work of the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) and welcomes the improvement of the legal framework related to the fight against corruption and especially the Action Plan for the implementation of the cross-cutting strategy against corruption and the law on the administration of confiscated assets. “All these achievements are a clear proof not only of the great work done in this direction, but also of the clear will of the government to fight systematically and resolutely corruption and organized crime,” the Minister said.

“Also, I find positive the fact that the report recognizes and positively evaluates the efforts made to improve the quality of public services as well as strengthen the capacity of the administration to conduct merit-based recruitment. We are aware that we have a long way to go in this regard, but again, I believe that this report confirms the great work that has been done for a comprehensive reform of public services and administration as two of the important pillars of the process of the country’s modernization and Europeanization. The report contains positive findings in another very important point, which is related to the economy and the way the government has dealt with the subsequent shocks of November 2019 earthquake and the pandemic. It confirms what we have said below, but also what the Albanian citizens are clear about, that the economy has started to recover since the second half of 2020 and that the actions taken by the government and the central bank to support businesses, families and the health sector was prompt and tailored,” she said.
Xhaçka emphasizes that “what is clear today, as it has become clear in the 2020 report, is the fact that Albania is ready to start the negotiations, based on the merit of achievements, but also on concrete preparations for all the necessary structure to respond effectively to the new negotiation methodology, which is materialized for the first time in this year’s report. While we are ready to take the next step in the European integration process, we share the same assessment with the European Commission that the member states should conclude their discussions without delay and that the first intergovernmental conferences with our country and North Macedonia should be held as soon as possible thus fulfilling a clear promise made to our countries by the EU. Any delay has an adverse impact on the credibility of the Union. Our will to achieve the national goal of EU membership is steady, our progress is undeniable, we will continue delivering on our commitment to the European Commission and the member states to fulfill in a more concrete and tangible way the promise recently reconfirmed at the Brdo Summit for the European perspective of our region. “In order for the perspective to be credible, action must be taken now: Albania deserves and must sit at the negotiation table with the EU within this year,” Xhaçka concluded.

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