Tirana – On September 30, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen started her Western Balkans tour by visiting Albania. At a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, she described Albania as one of the leading countries in the European Union accession process, it was reported by BalkanWeb.com.
“The goal is on the horizon. However, there is still much work to be done. The adoption of reforms is important, but it is equally important that they are fully implemented, so that they bring real changes for citizens”, Ursula von der Leyen noted.
According to her, “this requires real commitment beyond political divisions, as well as a strong and continuous dialogue with society”.
President of the EC said the European Commission would present next week policy reviews as part of preparations for enlargement.
“We will look at our institutions, our policies, we will look at our budget to make sure that the European Union is ready to enlarge, to welcome other members, new members… Roadmaps will also be set to ensure that commitments to democratic values and the rule of law are respected even after membership”, she underlined.
Asked whether the changes would speed up integration or limit the rights of new members, she said she could not give many details, as the process is still under development.
BalkanWeb.com reminded that the European Commission is expected to adopt an enlargement strategy on October 7.
For his part, Edi Rama stated that Albania has “an iron will” to move forward with the accession process, which, according to him, has entered the phase of closing the negotiation chapters.
He added that he also discussed with the President of the European Commission the fight against corruption and organized crime and that both sides noted Albania’s progress in this regard.
“For the first time, this country has a system that has gained and is gaining day by day self-correcting, self-purifying capabilities, that is, those antibodies that every democratic system has, thanks to the separation of powers, where each power does its job”, Rama said.
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European Western Balkans is a web portal that focuses on the Western Balkans countries and reports on the development of the EU’s enlargement policy. The portal was launched in 2014 by the Centre for Contemporary Politics.