Albania aims to close all EU negotiation chapters by next year, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha said on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists from EU member states, Hoxha said Albania’s EU accession process has entered a decisive stage. He also described EU membership as the country’s top national priority.
Moreover, he stressed that support for EU membership goes beyond the government. According to him, all political parties and Albanian society back the goal.
“EU membership is our national objective,” Hoxha said. “Everyone in Albania shares this vision.”
He added that Albania has pursued EU integration since the fall of communism. Since then, the country has shaped its reforms, legislation and policies around that objective.
Meanwhile, Hoxha highlighted the scale of work needed to advance negotiations. He said reforms remain the driving force behind the process. Therefore, all institutions must contribute, including the government, parliament and independent bodies.
“This process never stops,” he said. “It requires commitment from everyone.”
Furthermore, Hoxha pointed to Albania’s recent progress. The country opened all 33 negotiation chapters and all six chapter clusters within just 11 months.
He credited the achievement to a strong negotiating team. At the same time, he highlighted the government’s commitment and the close cooperation with the European Commission and EU member states.
In addition, Hoxha underlined the importance of meeting interim benchmarks. He described them as the first major test of the accession process.
According to the minister, Albania fulfilled all 24 benchmarks and completed 92 specific requirements. As a result, the country moved to the next phase of negotiations.
Consequently, Albania can now focus on closing negotiation chapters.
“The process is solid, and we are moving forward,” Hoxha said.
Looking ahead, he said the government wants to maintain the current momentum. Therefore, it aims to close all chapters next year.
“We have an ambition to close all chapters next year,” he said. “We believe this objective is realistic.”
He added that clear goals, strong commitment and determination support that ambition. At the same time, Hoxha argued that candidate countries that deliver reforms should benefit from gradual integration before full membership.
However, he stressed that gradual integration cannot replace accession.
“We are delivering results and fulfilling our commitments,” he said. “In return, we expect the EU to honor its commitments.”
Furthermore, Hoxha reiterated that Albania remains fully committed to joining the bloc.
“We have no Plan B,” he said. “Our only plan is EU membership.”
Finally, he called for stronger public support for enlargement across EU member states. He argued that the process must remain merit-based. Otherwise, delaying enlargement could undermine the EU’s credibility and weaken its influence in the region.
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