EU integration, rapporteur Schieder: Albania is a frontrunner in the enlargement process, we are in the final stretch of the race

Albania continues its journey toward membership in the European Union, as Tirana hosted the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on “The strategic agenda for EU enlargement and Albania’s membership,” attended by representatives of Albanian institutions and the European Parliament.

The European Parliament’s rapporteur for Albania, Andreas Schieder, expressed readiness to contribute to the European Union’s enlargement process and praised the progress made by Albania.

“Politics in Albania offers many challenges but the country also offers many opportunities, and Albania is often seen as the country on the coast, it is like the country of the mountains at the same time because it is a perfect country — but I did not come to do tourism advertising; the main reason is that we are engaged in the enlargement process, since EU enlargement is not just a project of the future, it is something the entire continent deserves and what we have all dreamed of, which when I was 20 we dreamed the European idea and I want to give my contribution. In Albania we have 95% of the population that is pro-EU and this is a good opportunity for the country to use this momentum, and Albania is the frontrunner of the enlargement process and for me as rapporteur it is the function of the European Parliament to look at all the details of the enlargement process from the perspective of EU parliamentary policies. Every year we make a report and this year’s report was voted with a large majority across political camps because this shows that everyone sees the progress made by Albania,” Schieder said.

He also underlined the importance of the reforms undertaken by Albania, particularly in the rule of law, justice reform and vetting, as well as economic and environmental reforms.

“We must look at all issues such as the rule of law, where Albania years ago undertook a very difficult vetting process, economic reforms, environmental ones, social impacts where Albania is in line with the European stance, where certainly after all these negotiations we are now in a way in the final stretch of the race, there are still some chapters to be closed and Albania has been quite active,” he said.