Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha attended the international conference “EU Enlargement: Assessing New Concepts and the Outlook for 2027,” organised by the German Council on Foreign Relations.
Hoxha said geopolitical realities had made enlargement a strategic and security necessity for Europe. However, he stressed that this must not come at the expense of substance or standards. Reforms remain essential, he added. Albania is not reforming simply to become European, but because its citizens deserve institutions that meet European standards.
The minister stressed that Albania seeks no shortcuts to membership. He said accession must be earned through reforms, implementation, accountability and merit-based assessment, rather than granted as an act of solidarity. He also argued that the process must work in both directions. When candidate countries deliver results, Europe must respond with concrete progress.
Hoxha concluded that enlargement is not merely about a larger European Union. It is about building a stronger, safer and fully united Europe.
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