Minister Dhuka Says Albania Reaches Most Advanced Stage of Negotiations After Opening 33 Chapters in 2025

During today’s meeting at the Palace of Brigades, Minister of State and Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka announced that Albania will open accession negotiations with the European Union across all 33 chapters in 2025, marking a historic moment in the country’s European integration process.
She stated that opening all chapters is an unprecedented development for Albania and demonstrates the 27 EU member states’ political support for the country’s European path. Dhuka emphasized that this achievement is the result of years of systematic work, particularly following the European Commission’s positive recommendation in 2019 to open accession negotiations.
Over the past 14 months, Albania has adopted 75 laws and bylaws that promote European integration, affecting areas such as justice, fighting crime and corruption, security, social equality, and human rights. These changes include legal packages related to the Criminal Code, justice system reforms, export controls, anti-drug trafficking measures, and the establishment of the Asset Recovery Office for assets derived from criminal activity. As part of the anti-corruption package, laws concerning conflicts of interest, whistleblowing, and lobbying have been approved, and a draft law regarding donations and sponsorships is currently being prepared.
Dhuka also highlighted the progress of the justice institutions and mentioned the results achieved by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime (SPAK) and the Special Anti-Corruption Court (GJKKO) in the fight against crime and corruption.
Regarding the next steps, the European Union recommends that Albania fulfill approximately 101 closing benchmarks across the 33 chapters. New legislative packages are being prepared for key areas of the economy and market regulation for 2026. In the business and commercial sector, nine draft laws have been prepared in consultation with the European Commission. In the consumer protection sector, a new law is planned, as well as the establishment of a specialized agency.
Additionally, the services law, which was drafted according to European standards, is expected to be submitted to Parliament soon, with the aim of encouraging the export of services to the EU market.
According to the chief negotiator, 2025 will be a historic turning point in Albania’s integration process, with the ultimate goal being the country’s full membership in the European Union.