On the eve of the 6th Summit of the European Political Community, Prime Minister Edi Rama today welcomed to Tirana the President of the European Council, António Costa, who will be participating in the Summit.

Following their meeting, Prime Minister Edi Rama and President of the European Council António Costa held a joint press conference.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good evening,

The President of the European Council is again in Tirana, and of course this is a special pleasure for us. Personally, it is a pleasure for me to meet again with the President, who is a dear friend, and very wise friend.

Dear Antonio, thank you very much. We are here today following the President’s visit across the region with his stop in Tirana, also to participate tomorrow to the meeting of the Political European Summit.

Clearly, we talked about the two aspects that tie us to the European Council and the European Union, namely the aspect connected to our accession process which is going very well.

As we speak, Albania has officially sat around the negotiation table with 16 chapters already open and eight others slated to open in the coming days, with our ultimate ambition to open all chapters by the end of the year.

As I have already shared publicly in the course of the election campaign as well, in particular the joint plan with the European Union, supported by the EU member states, is to conclude the negotiations within three years, namely from 2024, where we started off, after 2027. It is a highly ambitious plan, but also an exceptional opportunity for us, because stars have aligned, so to speak, and the European Union, like never before, as far as I can recollect, is quite willing to accept new members, obviously based on merit and on results.

The other issue we talked about with the President is the overall progress of the region, since the letter is yet again connected to the reason why the EU is at the height of its eagerness, I would say, to accept new members. And that is also affected by the political context.

I want to seize the opportunity today and tomorrow as well, because this is going to be a part of a discussion, to invite all colleagues from the region, my friends, to not miss this opportunity that history has brought to our doorstep, and take advantage as much as possible. Although the history over these years has shown that the enlargement process could be fast-tracked for a certain period, but could also be slowed down for several years.

Something I wish to emphasise as last is to say that I feel pleased that we have with us here a dear friend of Albania. Well, the exact definition is not a friend, but a former friend, because now she is an Albanian from Italy, Federica Mogherini, whom I do not understand yet why she hasn’t applied for the Albanian passport. She’s got only one justification, that she is waiting for the Albanians’ European passports. The one with the inscription European Union Albania, because she does not want the passport with free movement, but without the right to stay in the European Union.

Thank you very much as well to the students from the College of Europe. I can see from their faces that they come from the college, because they’ve got this radiation coming from the EU stars in their face.

President of the European Council António Costa:

Thank you very much, dear Prime Minister, dear Edi, for your hospitality, your warm welcome and for concluding here my tour for the six Western Balkans countries. As you know, for the European Union, the enlargement to the Western Balkan countries is the most important geopolitical investment we are making.

This is the right moment, and it is up to us to achieve this process as soon as possible. Albania embodies the EU’s enlargement momentum, and Albania is on track to join the EU.

The results of the elections this week reconfirm the desire of the Albanians for EU integration. And dear Edi, let me congratulate you once again on this impressive victory. Albania’s accession to the EU is our common goal. It’s not a question of if or how, it’s a question of when.

You know exactly what needs to be done, and I can only encourage you to keep your eyes on the objective and deliver on these last milestones. Keeping up the pace and intensifying work on European Union reforms is now key, particularly the rule of law and the fight against corruption. We also stand together on the global stage, determined to deepen our cooperation on issues related to security and defence.

The recent First European Union-Albania Security and Defence Dialogue is a prime example of our close alignment. This week marks another milestone. You will host the meeting of the European political community that will gather over 40 European leaders.

This meeting will take place for the first time in this part of Europe, and I want to commend the impressive organisation of this event.

I look forward to a productive day and meetings tomorrow. If you allow me, I also use this opportunity to congratulate Federica Mogherini on taking the initiative to open, in close cooperation with you, a College of Europe here in Tirana. And welcome the students of this first year of the College of Europe here in Tirana, Jacques Delors promotion, and sorry I don’t manage to have time to go to the college, but I’m very glad to see all of you here.

Europe is not only about prosperity, but also about values. Europe needs some kind of face in the future, in our common future together. And to give the name of Jacques Delors for this first promotion year in Albania is a very good sign, because after the father founders, in fact, Jacques Delors is the father of the re-foundation of the European Union.

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My first question is for you, President. Prime Minister Rama earlier today, but also at another press conference, stated the goal of Albania for the completion of accession negotiations by 2027, with the aim of Albania’s becoming a fully-fledged member in 2030. Do you see this as a realistic objective? Is it doable by the end of 2030? And for you, Prime Minister, with the same theme, during the electoral campaign, you asked for the vote of Albanians by pledging to them that you would give them the EU passport. And now that Albanians actually trusted you with a fourth mandate, this pledge, will you keep it by 2030?

President of the European Council António Costa

Well, I’m not looking for magic data. I’m looking at what we are delivering day by day, and what Albania is delivering day by day. And as soon as we conclude this process, as soon as Albania joins the European Union.

And why not before 2030? If Albania continues to deliver at the same rhythm, it’s completely possible to join the European Union before 2030. But it all depends if you continue or not in the same path.

I’m sure that after this strong message for Albanian people, to you, dear Edi, for your team, certainly in the coming months, and in the coming two years, you will make a huge job. And next year, when I come back to visit you again, certainly we don’t need to answer again if it’s credible, if it’s possible. But probably the question is not now, it’s what I want to listen to next year.

Prime Minister Edi Rama:

I believe that in any case, you will come again next year, because we are going to open the new College. We’re constructing a building that’s even more beautiful than the one in Bruges—that’s our ambition—and you’ll come to inaugurate it, in any case.

Now, regarding the question, I didn’t quite understand it—or rather, I’ll pretend not to understand it—it-because the question implied that during the whole campaign I said something just to get votes and now the circus is over? Or does what I said still stand?

So, I’ll pretend not to understand the question and I’ll say this: not only do I stick by what I said, but we have been given a historic opportunity—because the stars have aligned and the European Union has opened the door—for us to enter that door, if we deliver everything that is written and outlined in the plan we have on the table together with the Commission, by the end of 2027.

So, we will do our part, and we absolutely must do our part, because if we don’t, there’s nothing António—who wholeheartedly supports this process, Albania, and the region—can do, nor any other friend. The European Union works with rules, criteria, and standards that must be met. Once we do our part, then the ball is in their court to open the door.

As we say here: “God Willing”—even before 2030—but we’ve set 2030 as our target, taking into account that there may be moments in the process that take more time. So, absolutely, this is a historic opportunity, and this is a historic mission for us.

We are in the heart of Europe, among the oldest peoples here, and as long as we do not join the European Union, we will remain outsiders. For us, it’s not about funding or prosperity—it is primarily a matter of dignity, identity, and belonging. And we want to close this proccess.

Mr. President, I’d like to follow up a bit on my colleague’s question. Brussels has labeled Albania and Montenegro as frontrunners in the integration process. During your visit to Montenegro, you stated that the country could become a full EU member by 2028. Does this timeframe also apply to Albania? Albanians, too, need to hear a deadline, because you said earlier, they believe and hope that Albania will become a member of the EU.

Mr. Prime Minister, you’ve previously declared that your fourth term will be the mandate of Albania’s integration into the EU. What are the key priority areas on which this fourth mandate will focus to accelerate the integration process?

President of the European Council, António Costa:

We are living in exceptional times in the world today, and in these exceptional moments, more than ever, we need to accelerate the unification of all of Europe and its strength—its power. This creates a momentum for enlargement. Of course, for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, if they wish—but also certainly for the Western Balkans, which has already shown that it wants to become part of the EU.

This is not a competition, but my hope is that all six of these countries can move forward as quickly as possible toward completing negotiations, showing results, and meeting the criteria. This is not just about doing things for the sake of it, but about the transformation it brings to the way we function—it changes our mentality.

Sometimes, that is not easy, I know that, because I come from a country that became an EU member only 40 years ago, and I know that sometimes is hard. But this is the right path forward.

For example, this week I visited Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and today I’m in Albania—in all six countries, despite the challenges in each.

Sometimes there are bilateral issues, sometimes historical ones, but all Western Balkan countries share the same wish: to become part of the European Union.

What I tell all the countries is this: listen, you can trust the EU.

We have a clear political will in the European Council.

We have a strong commitment from the European Commission.

This is the right moment to deliver—and we must use this opportunity.

I remember very well some years ago, we came here to Tirana and, Edi Rama said, look, guys, nobody believes anymore that we will one day join the European Union.

It takes so many times that nobody believes anymore. But what different countries have done in the past two years, and how the European Union changed in the past two years, changed completely the mood.

Edi Rama now believes in what he didn’t believe two years ago. And this means that it’s possible and for me, I cannot, even when I try, to forget the Western Balkans, because every day when I enter in my office, I look for a can of Coca-Cola with a special design from Edi Rama.

It’s a very symbolic can of Coca-Cola, not just because it has a special design of Edi Rama, but because when I visited him some years ago in my former capacity, he offered me a book by a wonderful, great Albanian writer.

It was the Portuguese edition of ‘Freedom’ from Lea Ypi.

I read the book Between the Trip, of Albania and Lisbon. And I became passionate by this book. I know she’s writing now a second one. And it’s a wonderful novel to understand the history of this country and the history of the Balkan countries.

That’s the reason why I offer my Christmas gift to the leaders last Christmas is precisely this book of Lea Ypi. And one of the most symbolic moments of this novel is when the people dispute the can of Coca-Cola, because what the can of Coca-Cola represents in the time when Albania was isolated, a part of the rest of the world.

When I enter in my office and I see this can, I remember this is our mission, is to push to put an end in this isolation and to conclude the unity of our European family.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: What can I say after this? I don’t believe that you need me to explain what are the tasks that we are bound to fulfill. Because if we start with that explanation that we will have to keep the President of the European Council up until the day after tomorrow, and we will actually miss the EPC.

That’s how many tasks the EU has set but we are fully determined to fulfill them. As you know, we have a model, a sort of artificial intelligence that is significantly supporting us to transfer the entire Aki Komunitar into, let’s say, to translate them and transpose them into Albanian, as well as a set of other information that we extract from the model.

We have the confidence that this very momentum, as Antonio said, has changed the approach. I would like to rectify one thing. Personally speaking, I’ve never lost trust. I’ve always said, though, that this is a love story where, until the other party feels they need you, you should not give up and you must be ready when the other party will open the window after you’ve been serenading it under the window for years and years in a row with the window staying closed or shut. Now this window is open.

Allow me to thank the president for his visit and the time here, as well as thank the students of the college who actually made this hall even more beautiful today.

Thank you.