Prime Minister Edi Rama today welcomed in a meeting the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, who is paying an official visit to our country.

Following their meeting, the Grant Agreement between the Republic of Albania and the European Investment Bank was signed at the premises of the Prime Minister’s Office, for the financing of the strategic Durrës-Rrogozhinë railway project, part of Corridor VIII, a key artery that will connect Albania with the European transport network and further strengthen our country’s role as a connecting hub in the region.

The agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku and the Director of the European Investment Bank, Lionel Rapaille.

Subsequently, Prime Minister Edi Rama and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, held a joint press conference.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good afternoon, everyone! It is a special pleasure to have here in Tirana today, on her first visit to our country, the High Representative of the European Commission and Vice-President of the Commission, Kaja Kallas.

Welcome to Albania, dear Kaja, and I am extremely pleased that you finally kept your word. You had given it to me earlier as a representative of your own country, but now you have come as a representative of all our countries.

We had, as always, a very positive meeting. As the Vice-President mentioned, there are no problems or unresolved issues between us and the EU. On the contrary, we have complete alignment in all aspects, something best reflected in the foreign policy of the Republic of Albania, which is 100% aligned with the policy of the EU.

And of course, we also spoke about the major challenge of the EU accession process, about the very ambitious timeline agreed with the Commission for the closure of negotiations by 2027. Likewise, we discussed about the region and the issues affecting it at a time when unity and stability across the entire region are essential. Fortunately, all countries in the region share a declared strategic goal — EU membership — and this destination serves as an extremely useful and helpful point of reference for understanding not only current political developments but also the steps we all need to take together in our daily efforts. These efforts are not merely for each of us to join the EU individually, but for the entire region to become an organic part of the united European family.

Having said all this, we also touched upon the issue of strategic cooperation in the field of security with the Vice-President. Security is becoming an increasingly central theme in the daily life and politics of the EU, and as I shared with the public not long ago, I would like to repeat that in a recent survey conducted in EU countries on the popularity of the EU — a survey that has been carried out since 1983 — it turns out that support for the EU among its peoples is currently the highest it has ever been since 1983. This was not the case until recently, because today, more than ever before, the peoples of Europe feel that war is not a black-and-white film of the past, nor a spontaneous event happening at Europe’s borders, but a real threat against which Europe must close ranks and grow stronger. Undoubtedly, Albania is also part of this commitment, within its own capacities.

Furthermore, I want to emphasize that the security and defense partnership we signed together with Kaja last December is a step that will be followed by further steps. In practical terms, the dialogue on this partnership will become a constant and ongoing feature of our relationship with the EU before membership — but Albania will certainly also be part of this partnership as a member of the EU.

I don’t want to go on much longer, because I would only be repeating things that, in fact, I’m saying more and more often — almost daily — regarding the necessity of our success in the effort to close negotiations by 2027. And I’m very pleased that Kaja is a steadfast supporter of this process, a steadfast supporter of the unification of all of Europe under the EU umbrella, and a steadfast supporter of Albania — which is an added value for us, and we deeply appreciate it, both institutionally and personally. The High Representative is visiting us at a very special moment for all of us, and at the same time, our cooperation is one in which we deeply believe, one in which we will continue to be invested every day, always aligned in our approach with that of the EU.

Dear Kaja, thank you once again for your visit!
It’s a visit that brought with it a somewhat strange combination for us — sunshine and cold.
We provided the sun, you brought the cold from Brussels, but rest assured that next time there will only be sunshine, and no more room for the cold.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas:

Thank you, dear Edi.

And well, Brussels was not cold, so it didn’t come from Brussels, but maybe from the north. But it’s a real pleasure to see you again and also to be in Albania. So Albania is a strong partner of the European Union.

You are a NATO ally, and like you said, you’re fully aligned with the EU’s common defence and security policy, foreign security policy. Your decision to fully implement EU sanctions against Russia alongside your political, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine demonstrates your commitment to our shared values. And I understand that politically it is always hard to do.

You’re also promoting the cooperation within the Western Balkans, including supporting local authorities to ensure a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EU is fully committed to Albania, and your cooperation benefits both of us. And we also, as the European Union, remain Albania’s strongest trading partner, and we are committed to strengthening our relations even further. One of my first formal engagements in this job was signing the new security and defence partnership with Albania, or actually witnessing the signing, like we were witnessing it today together with you. And later today, we are also launching the first ever EU-Albania Strategic Security and Defence Dialogue. This marks an important step, really deepening our cooperation also in the affairs of security.

So looking ahead, we aim to expand our collaboration into new areas, including fighting hybrid threats, including cyber security, counter-terrorism, also crisis management.

The EU has already provided over 13 million euro in funding through the European Peace Facility to enhance the readiness of Albanian armed forces. Additionally, we have proposed a joint defence procurement of EU candidate countries, which is under discussion among the member states right now, and which could also benefit Albania if Albania so chooses to be part of it. But of course, our cooperation goes beyond security.

Albania has an ambitious agenda to close EU negotiations in the next two years. And what I want to say is that there are no shortcuts on the path of accession, and it’s vital to sustain the high pace of reforms. And I also understand that reforms are always quite difficult. So you have our full support when it comes to opening new clusters and meeting the benchmarks, especially the rule of law.

Albania’s future is in the European Union, and I’m also pleased to witness the signing of a 90 million euro agreement with the European Investment Bank to reconstruct the railway between Port of Durres and Rrogozhine as part of Corridor 8 project.

This project will create new jobs, enhance trade, and also improve connectivity, bringing Albania closer to its neighbours, but also closer to the European Union.

It will also serve as a critical route between member states and NATO, I mean, member states and NATO for the military mobility in the Southeast Europe. This is extremely important in the current security environment. Finally, we also discussed, of course, the regional developments, and I really value your advice and comments on the situation in the Western Balkans.

So I think what is important that when it comes to Kosovo and Serbia, there can be no progress without the full normalization of the relationship between those two countries and of course, I’m also going to Bosnia-Herzegovina later this day also to meet with them to try to calm down the situation.

So once again, I’m very grateful to be here and definitely looking forward to come back for the European Political Community meeting.

So thank you again.

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Ms. Kallas, is the year 2030 a realistic target for Albania to become a member state of the European Union, and is this integration process conditioned on specific reforms, such as the fight against corruption involving high-level officials?

Prime Minister, you promise the European Union passport. In fact, Albania’s EU integration is not the monopoly of one political party, since integration requires broader consensus, including opposition forces, to pass important draft laws or reforms in Parliament. How do you see the possibility of such political consensus after May 11, especially if the current political situation remains unchanged, or perhaps, if May 11 produces a different electoral outcome?

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High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas: Thank you.

So 2030, is it a realistic target? It is if we all make really the steps on the way that we need to do, Albania with the reforms, but not only the reforms to be adopted, but also the reforms to be implemented. And there, the rule of law is extremely important. It’s one of the foundations of European Union and the functioning of European Union. But it’s also the foundation for prosperity of the country, because if investors trust your legal system, then they also trust to invest in the economy. So it’s also for the benefit of Albania. So it is realistic if we all do our homework. Thank you.

Prime Minister Edi Rama:

So, first of all, as Kaja also mentioned earlier, we have a plan agreed with the European Union to conclude the negotiations in 2027. This means that once the negotiations are concluded, the Commission recommends membership to the member states, and then each member state takes that recommendation and submits it to its respective Parliament, and all parliaments approve the accession. Therefore, what we foresee is a two-year ratification period, to be realistic, which would conclude in 2030 at the European Union table.

So, the plan is completely clear. Naturally, our part is to successfully conclude the negotiations by the end of 2027. We are very well prepared to do this and are working every day toward it. The ambition is to open all chapters within the year, and I repeat — when I say ambition, it is not just our ambition; it is part of the agreed plan.

And at the moment all of this becomes a reality, there will be no obstacles, because the European Union has opened the door — and for the first time, I believe, in many years, since the door was closed after the last enlargement with Croatia — the door is now truly open and concrete. Entry into the European Union is now a matter of shared strategic interests.

Naturally, this is absolutely tied to our work, and our work must not stop for even a second — that is the logic. The EU passport is a consequence of membership. The moment we become a member of the EU, we also gain the EU passport, which means it’s not just the Republic of Albania anymore, but also the European Union on the passport — along with everything that comes with being an equal citizen of the European Union.

And on this point, I believe that no one can stop us, and no one will stop us — without a doubt. I am convinced that on May 11, we will achieve the result necessary to move this process forward without losing a single minute, I repeat.

Because any hesitation or loss of time within the 2027 timeline could bring consequences — not necessarily because of us, but due to other dynamics that could once again close the door.

So, this is my explanation on the matter.

Question to the Vice-President:
The EU integration of Albania is the main political card, we should say, especially as the country heads into elections and is on the verge of officially launching its campaign. There is a “deadline” and at least one clear position from Mr. Rama, the Prime Minister who leads the governing majority, stating that only the Socialist Party can bring Albania into the EU by 2030, and that any political rotation might hinder the process. My question to you is: Does political rotation slow down Albania’s EU integration?

Question to you, Mr. Prime Minister:
What is your stance regarding the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration? Has the government conducted an analysis on how this might affect the country, considering that, at least so far, there is speculation about financial market fluctuations and potential impact on the EU, as well as possible consequences for Albania through increased import prices? On the other hand, is there any direct negotiation between Albania and the Trump administration? Thank you.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas:  Thank you. Coming from a country that has done the EU accession path, it is clear that it needs the broad political support of all the political parties, because it also requires some very difficult reforms to be done. And that needs, you know, broad support.

What I understand from here as well, that there is a broad support of the people, the EU accession path, that EU is the way European Union is, is something that Albanian people will want to join. So clearly, the difficult reforms need the support of everybody, really, because this is the end, not only the reform, but also the implementation of the reform that requires broad support of political parties.

Prime Minister Edi Rama:  Just as a side note here — some time ago, you asked the EU ambassador a question, and then certain media took his response — which was the only possible and most normal response — and twisted it as if the ambassador had said that “my statements are not in line with what the EU thinks.” Now, I don’t know what exactly you expect when you ask the EU about what’s happening here in terms of elections. The answer is well-known and universally understood: the EU does not decide who wins or loses elections in Albania, nor does it link its policies to who gets elected in Albania. This is elementary.

But on the other hand, what I say and repeat is that there is no other political force that can carry out this mission. This is not something the EU determines — and even if they do think it, they’re never going to say it. So, this is a question with no real relevance, but I understand it’s for local consumption, and I’m sure I’ll be reading headlines soon saying the Vice-President of the Commission said this or that…

But that’s your job — we are a free, democratic country. Write whatever you want. On May 11, you’ll also report what the citizens have to say.

As for your second question, I have no comment on that — we have no concerns whatsoever about the topic. Our approach to this new tariff policy that’s taking shape is very straightforward, and in some ways comfortable, given our position and the volume of trade we have with the United States. And if you look at the tariff list announced from the Oval Office, there is no reason for us to have any concern.

Question to the Vice-President:
The European Union has been highly supportive when it comes to justice reform and the expected progress in the fight against corruption and the rule of law. Looking at the situation so far, how effective and how do you assess the achievements made up to this point, particularly regarding the prosecution of high-level officials?

Question to the Prime Minister:
The Socialist Party has been one of the main supporters — as stated by you on several occasions — of the justice reform. Are you satisfied with the results? Have the key objectives been achieved in relation to the role of SPAK so far, and do you expect more from SPAK moving forward?

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, also Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas: So, thank you, yes, the EU reforms have several stages, I mean, when it comes to a rule of law or fighting corruption, then first is to really adopt the reforms, then the second phase is to implement the reforms, and of course, then it’s also judiciary, not only to start the processes, but also reach a real verdict. I think this is also important for the public to see, that everybody is taking the fight against corruption seriously, because it’s one of the fundamentals of the rule of law, that, you know, the taxpayer’s money goes where the taxpayer’s money is supposed to go.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Since this is the final question, I’d like to wrap up by starting where Kaja concluded — with the European Political Community. We are currently preparing very intensively for the European Political Community Summit that will be held in Tirana on May 16, where all the leaders of the continent will gather. I mean the democratic European continent — from the UK to Azerbaijan, from Sweden to Turkey — to address the themes of this upcoming summit. This is something extraordinary for Albania, something extraordinary for the region, and naturally, there is a reason why it is happening in Albania. I believe it is a great recognition and at the same time, a great responsibility for us, as a key actor in a region that is becoming increasingly important to the EU.

Secondly, I want to point out that the signing ceremony held earlier is part of a massive investment program in railway infrastructure. That’s why these next five years — which separate us from the close of this decade — will also be the five years that railways return to Albania, of course at a whole new level from what we had before. This is one of many reasons not only to believe, but also to fight for EU membership, because thanks to this relationship, we are now in a position to undertake a range of investments that otherwise would have been impossible for us.

And finally, the EU is not just about investments. For us — for our history, for the way we have aspired toward Europe — above all, it is about freedom, individual rights, and equality before the law. We have never had equality before the law. Only in these recent years are we carrying out a previously unknown exercise — for the state, for our people — the exercise of establishing equality before the law, thanks to justice reform. I repeat: since 1912, when we declared independence from the empire, we have never had a case where a person vested with political power was investigated and judged independently.

We have passed from monarchy to communist dictatorship, from dictatorship to democratic transition — but we never had true independent investigation or judgment, and never experienced equality before the law. Today, we are laying the very foundations of equality before the law, and our EU membership is, first and foremost, needed for this — so that equality before the law becomes irreversible, no longer dependent on the will of one government or another, one prime minister or another, but becomes a non-negotiable, untouchable norm. And if we become members of this family, that will be guaranteed — and that means a great deal to us.

And naturally, if we are living through this historic moment, it is due to the will of this governing majority that led the justice reform, along with the unwavering support of the European Union in this regard. Viewed through the lens of history and seen with the eyes of the future — I am not satisfied. I am immensely proud! I am very proud, because this is one of those foundational stones that may be buried under the mud of daily politics, but history remembers and honors them as moments of true state-building.

And of course, we will continue to strongly support this process of establishing equality before the law. Our alliance with the European Union is an absolute guarantee of this, because the EU has all the knowledge and tools to help us in a process that, without the EU, would be impossible.

And in closing, let me repeat: when we started this journey, we were in the same economic and social conditions as Iraq, Afghanistan, and a few other countries — but I mention these two in particular because they’ve tried to build democracies, and we had no connection to Estonia or other Eastern European countries, as we were essentially the North Korea of this continent.

And if today we are where we are — close to the doors of the European Union — while Afghanistan has returned to the Taliban and Iraq remains in chaos, it is for one reason only: they don’t have the European Union — we do. They weren’t born with the blessing of being in Europe, of having access to the knowledge of the state and institutional culture — we have that blessing.

There is no doubt that we are proud of this, and we will not stop for a second until we enter the doors of the European Union and sit at the same table with the Union.

Like someone madly in love — who, no matter how many people warn him that marriage isn’t the most beautiful thing that can happen — still can’t stay away from love until he finally gets married. And as someone who can speak quite competently about marriage, let me tell you: in the end, there’s nothing better than marriage — when it’s the right one.

Kaja, you know that I consider this process not “merit-based”, but “marriage-based.”