TIRANA, June 16 – Speaker of the Albanian Parliament Niko Peleshi has paid an official visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where he met Speaker of the House of Representatives Thom van Campen, Senate President Mei Li Vos, and members of the European Affairs Committee.
The visit comes at a key moment for Albania’s EU accession negotiations. It also follows a wider parliamentary diplomacy tour in EU partner countries.
During the meetings, both sides highlighted excellent bilateral relations. They also underlined shared European values and close cooperation built over time. In addition, they stressed the importance of regular parliamentary contacts. They linked these contacts directly to the strengthening of bilateral partnership through parliamentary diplomacy.
EU integration dominated the discussions. Peleshi expressed gratitude for continued Dutch support for Albania’s reform agenda. He also welcomed support for the accession process, including assessments related to the IBAR report.
At the same time, he said the Netherlands maintains a principled and consistent approach to EU enlargement. However, he underlined that it remains a strong supporter of Albania’s European perspective. He also noted that Dutch engagement has helped strengthen the rule of law, good governance, anti-corruption efforts and the fight against irregular migration.
Peleshi reaffirmed Albania’s full commitment to EU negotiations. He also said EU membership remains a strategic objective. In addition, he stressed that the enlargement process must remain merit-based, fair and predictable. He welcomed EU initiatives on gradual integration, which Albania views as a step toward full membership rather than an alternative.
Cooperation on organised crime, drug trafficking and irregular migration also featured in the talks. Both sides said institutional cooperation and information exchange have produced concrete results.
Meanwhile, parliamentary cooperation continued to expand in recent years. Peleshi welcomed a planned visit by the Dutch Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs to Albania and Montenegro in July 2026. He also invited Dutch parliamentary representatives to a conference in Tirana on EU enlargement scheduled for 28–29 September 2026.
Peleshi was accompanied by a parliamentary delegation and Albanian Ambassador to the Netherlands Artur Kuko.
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