Albania is among four countries for which the European Union plans to hold intergovernmental conferences, in a development that Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described as evidence that the European integration process is moving forward.
In her statement from Brussels, Kos mentioned Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, stressing that countries making progress in this process must fulfil their obligations towards the European Union.
However, alongside progress in negotiations, the commissioner emphasised the conditions that candidate countries must meet to become members of the bloc. According to Kos, strategic alignment with the EU and contributions to collective security are essential elements of the accession process.
“We cannot afford to admit new member states that will not contribute to strengthening our security. Only those candidate countries that are strategically aligned with us will be able to become part of the European Union,” Kos said.
She also highlighted the importance of alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, including positions on sanctions, energy and infrastructure.
The message from Brussels is that the prospect of enlargement remains open, but progress towards membership requires not only advances in negotiations but also compliance with European standards and obligations.
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