Andreas Schieder, the European Parliament rapporteur for Albania, said the country has entered the final phase of its EU membership negotiations. He said Albania can close the remaining chapters within the set deadlines.
Schieder spoke at the Interparliamentary Conference “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Membership” in Tirana. He said EU enlargement deserves completion because it represents a project for the entire continent. He acknowledged that the process has taken longer than expected.
Meanwhile, Schieder highlighted strong public support for EU membership in Albania. He said 95% of the population supports the EU and described this as an opportunity to maintain the pace of reforms.
Schieder said Albania must focus not only on opening negotiation chapters but also on closing them and implementing reforms. He identified the rule of law, economic and environmental reforms, European standards, social and health impacts and foreign policy as key areas.
He also praised Albania’s justice reform, including the vetting process and judicial reform. Schieder said Albania still has several chapters to close but has time to continue the process according to its objectives.
Schieder said Albania could aim to join the EU before the end of the decade. He described this as a challenge but said Albanian authorities and Parliament have taken up the challenge strongly. He also stressed that enlargement involves all EU member states and their societies, not only Brussels and Tirana.
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