Albania urges rule of law for progress on EU membership

Albania is actively pursuing its European Union membership aspirations, with significant developments reported on April 7, 2025. During a high-level meeting in Tirana, Valentina Superti, a Director at the European Commission for the Western Balkans, highlighted the importance of rule of law issues as crucial to the country's path toward EU integration. Superti's remarks come at a time when Albanian citizens are showing robust support for their nation's European integration efforts. She emphasized the need for a robust system of checks and balances as Albania works to consolidate its justice reform achievements. At the same event, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas commended Albania's ambitious efforts to conclude EU membership negotiations within two years. Kallas stressed that while these reforms will be arduous, they are essential for the country's future within the EU. Albania began full membership negotiations in late 2020 and is presently aligning its systems with the EU's principles on the rule of law, democratic institutions, and corruption interventions. In recent months, Albania has held intergovernmental conferences that laid the groundwork for crucial negotiations concerning group-chapters on fundamental principles and external relations. Superti noted progress in various group chapters and maintained that advancements towards EU accession are expected to continue leading towards more significant milestones by 2025. The cities of Tirana and Durres have also seen investment activities, reflecting Albania's strategic position amid changing geopolitical circumstances, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has accelerated the EU's support for candidate nations in the Western Balkans. Prime Minister Edi Rama has expressed a hopeful stance, articulating a vision where Albania becomes a member of the EU by 2030. The upcoming parliamentary elections on May 11 will further emphasize the ruling Socialist Party's commitment to EU integration as a core goal. However, the opposition has raised concerns over corruption and the ruling party's effectiveness, characterizing the political landscape as a battleground for the integrity and advancement of Albania's application to join the EU.