Prime Minister Edi Rama said today that veto power does not benefit the European Union or its member states.

At a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Rama said Albania has repeatedly faced the effects of vetoes. He described the mechanism as outdated in today’s circumstances.

Meanwhile, Rama said Albania would examine how future accession treaties could address the issue. “We will look at how future accession treaties will take shape,” Rama said.

He noted that previous accession treaties for former candidate countries that have since joined the EU included several safeguards. “This is useful to know. We will examine how future accession treaties can include similar safeguards,” Rama said.

In addition, Rama stressed that countries should continue to honor their accession commitments after they join the EU. “We will continue working on this issue. We will also continue discussing it in the future,” he said.

Finally, Rama said Albania does not need veto power to assert itself at the EU table. He said Albania should instead feel privileged to join the European family as an equal among equals.