Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, was among the keynote speakers at the “Balkans Meet in Trieste” conference. Italy’s ANSA news agency organized the event.
The conference took place during the 34th General Assembly of the Alliance of Balkan News Agencies – Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE). The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and the Central European Initiative (CEI) also supported the event.
Strategic communication on EU enlargement was a key topic. The fight against disinformation was another major focus. Senior representatives from the CEI and the OSCE attended. Heads of news agencies from 12 ABNA-SE member countries also took part.
Speaking on the panel “Enlargement, Strategic Communication and Countering Disinformation,” Hoxha said Albania aims to complete all EU accession chapters by next year. The minister recalled the EU’s 2003 promise in Thessaloniki. At the time, the EU said the Western Balkans would become part of Europe.
Hoxha noted that 23 years have passed since that commitment. Someone who was 18 in 2003 would now be 41, he said. An entire generation has grown up while the Western Balkans remains outside the EU. However, Hoxha stressed that the situation changed significantly after February 2022.
“We are extremely pleased to see that enlargement now stands at the heart of EU policy,” he said.
Hoxha also cited EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. She recently told Croatian ambassadors that enlargement is no longer simply about adding more member states. Instead, she said enlargement means building a stronger and more secure European Union.
“We see it exactly the same way,” Hoxha said.
The minister also highlighted the EU’s history of enlargement. He noted that the bloc has gone through seven enlargement rounds. The EU grew from six founding members to 28. It now has 27 members following the United Kingdom’s departure. According to Hoxha, every enlargement has made the EU bigger and stronger. It has also made the bloc safer, more developed and more prosperous. He added that EU citizens have benefited directly from this process.
Hoxha also addressed the European Commission and European Parliament reports on Albania. He said political polarization remains a challenge. He also mentioned the rule of law and the fight against crime. The fight against corruption remains another key task.
“We are addressing these issues through the accession negotiations because we know there is still work to do,” Hoxha said.
“The negotiations are the bridge between where we are today and where we want to go,” he added.
Hoxha said Albania remains fully committed to EU integration. He stressed the need for continued reforms and stronger institutions. He also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation. Meanwhile, the Trieste conference brought together political and media representatives. They discussed Europe’s future, strategic communication and the fight against disinformation.
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