Spiropali touts Albania's EU alignment

The Parliament Speaker of Albania, Elisa Spiropali, announced today that Albania aims to open all negotiation chapters by June 2025.

Spiropali expressed confidence in strong support for this plan from the member states of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP), including Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Croatia, and Slovenia, CE Report quotes ATA.

Spiropali addressed the XII plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the SEECP today, where delegations from Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia were present.

Speaking about the European integration process, Spiropali emphasized that "Albania is moving swiftly and decisively towards membership in the European Union and the consolidation of core European values."

"We are committed to respecting human rights, including minority rights, modernizing the political system, strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law, economic development, and increasing well-being. Our national strategic objective to conclude negotiations by 2027 and join by 2030 has received support from the European Parliament and Commission, and is gaining broad support from member states," she stated.

Spiropali also highlighted that "our foreign and security policy is fully aligned with the European Union's policy."

"Albania has served security and peace with its successful mandate as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council during 2022-2023, the organization of the Southeast Europe-Ukraine Summit in Tirana in February 2024, support for Ukraine's just war, and the opening of an Embassy in Kyiv, among others. The acceleration of European integration by Albania is simultaneously a stimulus for other candidate countries in the region. Because we consider the Southeast European Cooperation Process as a powerful mechanism that aims not only to strengthen good neighborly relations, promote dialogue, and foster cooperation and strengthen trust among participating states, but also as an opportunity to coordinate efforts in the European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes of our countries," she said.

According to Spiropali, "support from Southeast European countries for the European integration process of the Western Balkan countries is more than an act of solidarity."

"It is an added contribution so that Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, as well as other Southeast European countries, become not simply members as soon as possible, but added values to the European family. Membership in the European Union for our countries will serve as a source to energize Europe, to make it larger, stronger, more cohesive," said the Parliament Speaker.

Spiropali also noted that the Albanian Presidency of the Southeast European Cooperation Process contributed to intensifying regional cooperation, including not only the European integration process but also other priorities for interaction: ensuring security, economic growth, cooperation in vital public services, with a special focus on healthcare, tourism, and culture.