Dear Chairs of the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

Dear members of the Committee,

It is a pleasure to participate at this 17th meeting of the EU – Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

Let me start to express my deep appreciation for the great support this House has given to Albania on its European Integration process. The latest European Parliament report on Albania, approved by the overwhelming majority of the Plenary, is solid proof of this support.

The role of the European Parliament in ensuring institutional and public support for our EU integration process is very much appreciated and, in this context, I would like to praise the esteemed members of this Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee for their diligent work and great contribution to this cause.

Since our last joint meeting in July 2023, the security situation in the Western Balkans region, fuelled by developments in Europe and the Middle East, remains worrisome. Indeed the situation is more fragile today than at any point in the past decade.

The criminal and dangerous terrorist attack on September 24 last year in the North of Kosova was a serious threat. The security and the stability of the WB with direct consequences for our common European path.

This is a reminder of why our region’s EU integration is so crucial. It is only through its EU integration that our region can be guaranteed a bright future, in peace and stability and prosperity. The only response to the challenges to our region, from the legacy of the past to the interference of malign third parties, is the consolidation and strengthening of the strategic cooperation with the EU in security matters, in foreign policy, in rule of law and in economic development matters.

The illegal Russian aggression against Ukraine has produced a major shift in EU thinking towards our region, including by bringing about a new focus on Enlargement. Albania supports the political decisions of December 2023 in the Council, which prioritized once again, as in 2022, geopolitics and security, by opening accession negotiations with the countries of BiH, Ukraine and Moldova and granting the candidate statues to Georgia.

The Council failed to make the decision to move forward with Albania. This was in our view a missed opportunity to put into practice the commitment for an enhanced engagement with our region and for a credible and predictable EU accession path.

In addition to the process of negotiations, building resilience and supporting economic and social convergence, should define the new agenda of prioritising the Western Balkans region and engaging with it.

We welcome the Commission’s proposal of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as a way for the region to gradually benefit from enhanced access to the EU Single Market, as well as narrow the converge gap between the region and the EU. We urge this Committee to encourage the endorsement of the Growth Plan and the Growth Facility without delay.

Dear members, dear colleagues,

We are looking forward to the next step on our accession negotiations. But we have not sat on our hands in the meantime.

On the contrary, the Albanian Government has continued to maintain the overall focus on the EU reform agenda, despite the challenge of addressing the economic and social consequences of the triple shock of the 2019 earthquake, the pandemic and of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

• The comprehensive justice reform has continued, resulting in good progress overall.
• The temporary re-evaluation of all judges and prosecutors – the vetting process – has continued to advance steadily.
• SPAK has continued its operations, especially by delivering several important final

decisions on cases concerning high-ranking state officials.

• Albania continued its efforts to build up its track record of investigation, prosecutions and convictions in the fight against corruption and delivered results.
• The strong and fruitful cooperation with EU Members States, Europol and Eurojust has continued and has led to tangible results.
• We have continued to show commitment to counter the production and trafficking of cannabis.
• Good progress has been made on the seizure and confiscation of assets related to organised crime.
• The core principles of the European Union, including respect for all human rights, especially the rights of minorities, democracy and the rule of law, are ideals that Albania has developed as values and is dedicated to upholding and safeguarding, domestically and in the international and regional fora.
• Albania maintains its full alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. It is working with other likeminded counties in the region, namely North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, to boost alignment with the EU Common Foreign Security Policy and to display the values of partnership and like-mindedness with the EU, in the most difficult security situation for Europe after World War II. We just completed its two-year mandate in the UN Security Council and started its mandate in the UN Human Rights Council and the Executive Board of UNESCO.
• Albania continues to offer a significant contribution to the process of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans by committing itself fully to this goal, also in the context of the stabilization and association process. Albania takes part actively in all regional initiatives and regional frameworks and works proactively on the sustainability of our progress in the European Integration process.
• Last year, Albania Chaired the Berlin Process and hosted its Summit as well a number of ministerials, with the main event the Leaders’ Summit on 16th October 2023.

• After the first intergovernmental conference with the EU on 19th of July 2022, Albania has further advanced with the analytical examination of the EU acquis, completing the screening of all clusters of the negotiations within the timeframe foreseen, with dedication and an excellent preparation, which led to outstanding positive results. I take this opportunity to thank the Commission and the EEAS for their diligent work at the screening. I also want to thank the more than 1000 experts of the Albanian public administration who took part and delivered a detailed picture of where Albania stands with regard to the EU acquis and how eager Albania is to bring this work forward.

We all, the Albanian Government and the Albanian people look forward to taking the next step in the integration process by opening negotiations for the cluster of fundamentals without further delay in early 2024.

On behalf of the Albanian Government, I would like to reassure this Committee of the strong commitment to working closely with the Parliament on this priority of priorities for our country and people.

I thank you again for your cooperation and efforts in supporting our EU integration process. I believe that our close cooperation, our efforts in implementation the EU-related agenda and reforms and your support and will help us meet our common objectives and bring Albania closer to EU membership.

Thank you Mr. chair.