European Commission President Von der Leyen: Here’s what I told Rama after the 2019 earthquake! The integration process is not slow

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared that Albania’s EU membership process will be based on merit, while stressing that concrete roadmaps toward membership will be set for the countries that have made the greatest progress.

At the joint conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama, she praised Albania’s progress and underlined the EU’s support for the country, also mentioning the rebuilding of 63 schools after the 2019 earthquake.

“We will examine the institutions, policies and finances to see whether we are ready to welcome new members. We will also set roadmaps so that EU values and the rule of law continue even after membership.

Membership will be based on merit, but that does not mean it is a slow process. We will set roadmaps for the countries that have made greater progress, and Albania is one of them.

These roadmaps will turn the path toward membership into concrete steps, what you need to do and what remains afterwards. Tomorrow we will visit the Emin Duraku school.

When you were hit by the earthquake in 2019 I told you that Europe will stand by you. We did that. Through the EU for Schools programme, 63 schools have been rebuilt, such as Emin Duraku, which welcome and educate a new generation of Europeans,” von der Leyen said, among other things.