EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos told the European Parliament that Albania has made progress on its path toward EU integration, having so far closed four negotiating chapters. She stressed that the country must continue working to achieve its goal of EU membership and to complete negotiations by the end of 2027.
Kos said Albania needs to do more on issues related to justice and the environment, which, in her view, are important not only for the European integration process but also for citizens themselves.
“The pace at which Albania is implementing EU reforms is an indicator of its commitment to joining the European Union. Progress has been made in implementing key reforms. This year an important milestone was reached with the fulfilment of the interim benchmarks for the first cluster, that of Fundamentals.
Since then, Albania has provisionally closed four chapters and is working to meet the closing benchmarks for other chapters. At the same time, we will need to see sustained focus on progress in key areas. This is important so that Albania can meet its ambitious but achievable objective of closing negotiations by the end of 2027.
At the centre of every reform effort must be the rule of law, an independent judiciary, media freedom and the protection of fundamental rights. Progress on environmental issues should also be a priority. These issues matter not only for EU membership, but also for Albanian society and the everyday lives of citizens”, she said.