Von der Leyen: Albania’s membership will make the EU stronger, fantastic progress! (VIDEO)

During the joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, praised Albania’s progress in the process of accession to the European Union.

She stressed the importance of opening the clusters of negotiation chapters and closing the first three chapters in July, underlining that the country has fully (100%) aligned itself with the Union’s foreign and security policy.

“Albania has once again made fantastic progress, you have opened the last clusters. I assure Albanians, membership will not only make Albania stronger, but also the EU stronger,” said von der Leyen.

Domestic reforms and inclusiveness

According to her, despite the achievements, the integration process requires the full and continuous implementation of essential reforms in sectors such as justice, the electoral framework and environmental protection. The President of the Commission stressed that carrying out these changes to bring tangible results for citizens requires broad social and political cooperation.

“This requires genuine commitment beyond political divisions and dialogue with society to respond to all its concerns,” she emphasized.

Economic development and the Growth Plan

An essential dimension of the visit focused on the economic benefits through the EU Growth Plan. Albania has fulfilled the overwhelming majority of the required reforms, benefiting from financial support and gradually integrating into the European market. In this context, the country’s membership in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) – which aims to drastically reduce bank fees for businesses – was praised, as was the concrete commitment to abolishing roaming charges.

“Albania is doing well as regards the Growth Plan. You have fulfilled 80% of the reforms, you have received 213 million euros in funds. You have become part of SEPA. We are working on reducing roaming charges,” emphasized von der Leyen.

Educational infrastructure and the “EU for Schools” program

The senior European official also drew attention to the European Union’s continued support in overcoming the consequences of the 2019 earthquake. Through the “EU for Schools” program, dozens of educational institutions have been rebuilt, as a testament to European solidarity with Albania.

“The EU for Schools program is a program that I really like a lot. Through this program, 63 schools were rebuilt or reconstructed, among them ‘Emin Duraku’. I look forward with great pleasure to tomorrow’s visit,” she emphasized.

Preparing the European institutions for enlargement

Concluding her remarks, von der Leyen stressed that enlargement is a two-way process. For this reason, the European Union itself is preparing to welcome new members.

She announced that next week the Commission will present the enlargement policy reviews, which will touch on the functioning of the institutions, common policies and the Union’s budget, ensuring that democratic values and the rule of law remain inviolable.