Kaja Kallas: Albania’s EU future is bright

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who is visiting Albania, said that this country has full support for the opening of other group chapters. Meanwhile, regarding Kosovo-Serbia relations, she said that there can be no progress without the full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Albania, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

"I think what is important is that in the relationship with Kosovo and Serbia there can be no progress without the full normalization of the relationship between these two countries. And of course I will then go to Bosnia and Herzegovina later today and meet with all the parties there in order to calm the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina," she said.

Regarding the issue of Albania's membership in the European Union, Kallas said that Tirana has the full support of the EU for the opening of other chapters.

"Albania has an ambitious agenda to complete negotiations with the EU in the next two years and what I want to say is that there is no short circuit or short path to achieving EU membership other than proper performance in reforms and reforms are difficult. So you have our full support in terms of opening other groups of chapters and meeting benchmarks in particular in the rule of law. Albania's future is in the European Union and I was pleased to see the signing of this 90 million euro agreement with the European Investment Bank to rebuild the railway between Durres and Rogozhina as part of Corridor 8 of this project", Kallas stressed.

The European chief diplomat has the year 2030 as a possible objective for Albania to join the European family.

"So 2030 is a realistic objective, but it is only if we all take the right steps, Albania with its reforms, not only the reforms that need to be approved, but the approved reforms that need to be implemented, and here the rule of law is extremely important," she said.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the Albanian state has a complete alignment with the EU in all aspects

Rama said that part of the conversation with the EU High Representative was also the great challenge of the process towards EU membership, as well as regional issues.

"We had a very positive meeting as always. As the Vice President said, there is no problem or open issue between us and the EU. On the contrary, we have complete alignment in all aspects, which is best expressed in the foreign policy of the Republic of Albania, which is 100% aligned with the foreign policy of the EU," said Rama.

Speaking to journalists, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that they are working every day to open all chapters for membership in the European Union within the year.

Asked how the political changes in Albania after the May elections could affect the Albanian state's journey towards the EU, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, said that this journey requires the support of everyone.

This question was immediately appreciated by the head of the Albanian government, Edi Rama, who insisted that there is no other force that can make Albania a member of the EU except the Socialist Party.

"There is no other force that will carry out this mission, it is not the EU that determines this, and even if they think about it, they will never say it, so this is a non-issue question," said Prime Minister Rama.

Regarding the tariffs imposed by the US administration, Rama said that there is no reason to have any concerns about these tariffs.

Before the start of this joint conference, Deputy Prime Minister, Belinda Balluku, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, and the Director of the European Investment Bank, Lionel Rapaille, signed in Tirana the agreement for the financing of the strategic Durrës - Rrogozhina railway project, part of Corridor VIII, a key artery that will connect Albania to the European transport network and will further strengthen the role of our country as a connecting node in the region.

Kallas is staying in Tirana after visiting Montenegro, where she met with President Jakov Millatović, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and representatives of civil society.

After Albania, the senior EU official will make a stop in Bosnia and Herzegovina this afternoon, where Kallas will hold meetings with the heads of the tripartite Presidency, the President of the Council of Ministers and the Foreign Minister of Bosnia, and representatives of the European force in Bosnia, EUFOR, thus concluding her tour.

On this tour of the Western Balkans, the European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has not planned visits to Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia.