TIRANA, Albania – On Wednesday, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced her tour of Western Balkan nations, emphasizing that the expansion of the trade bloc is among its top priorities.
The countries in the Western Balkans—Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia—are at various stages regarding their applications for European Union membership. Frustration has been prevalent due to the slow-moving process; however, the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has stimulated European leaders to encourage these nations more vigorously to join the EU.
Von der Leyen kicked off her regional visit in Tirana, which recently took a significant step by commencing its accession negotiations to move from candidate status to full EU membership. Following her visit to Albania, she plans to travel to North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
During her visit, von der Leyen praised Tirana for its “vision and patience,” noting that these qualities are yielding positive outcomes. “Albania is fundamentally on the path to joining the European Union,” she stated.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama highlighted the considerable work that lies ahead in meeting EU standards and expressed hopes for Albania’s membership by 2030. He stated, “There is one thing that unites Albanians… our country’s rightful place is within the EU and the future of our children is to be built in the EU.”
Last year, EU officials unveiled a €6 billion (approximately $6.48 billion) growth initiative aimed at the Western Balkan countries, intending to double the region’s economy over the next decade and expedite their EU accession efforts. This financial assistance is contingent upon implementing reforms that align their economies with EU regulations.
“We have opened our doors to certain sectors in the European Union single market for our Western Balkan partners,” von der Leyen explained. Furthermore, she mentioned that in return, these countries are implementing significant reforms to ensure a fair competitive environment.
The nations will gain access to the EU market in several key areas, including goods and services, road transport, energy, electricity, customs cooperation, e-commerce, and cashless payments.
The European Commission approved the reform agendas for Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia on Wednesday after receiving the nod from EU member states. This approval marks an essential step toward unlocking funding under the growth plan, contingent upon completing the necessary reforms.
“This represents a substantial leap forward toward EU membership,” von der Leyen noted.
Albania is poised to receive a pre-financing amounting to €64 million ($69 million) by the end of the year and is expected to receive over €920 million ($995 million) in total through the growth initiative.
Starting in the upcoming year, Albania anticipates joining the single euro payment area, which will facilitate “faster, more secure, and free” money transfers for its citizens and businesses, according to von der Leyen.
Additionally, von der Leyen assured the Western Balkan nations of ongoing support during natural disasters, referencing the wildfires that ravaged Albania this past summer. The EU responded by deploying support from Italy, Romania, and Greece to aid local officials in managing the emergency.
“We are combating the effects of climate change with our strongest ally—European solidarity,” she emphasized.