Gonzato: Albania has a strong political commitment to integration, the pace of reforms should be accelerated
The European Union Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, today handed over to Prime Minister Edi Rama the European Commission's progress report on Albania, which was made public yesterday. In a joint press conference, Gonzato stated that yesterday the European Commission also approved the enlargement package for 2025, which also includes Albania.
“This year's report is published at a very important moment for Albania's integration into the EU. Five of the six negotiating chapters have already been opened and work is underway to open the final chapter. All of this has been achieved with extraordinary speed and I congratulate the Albanian authorities for this excellent result ,” said Gonzato.
Gonzato stated that this moment should now be used as a unique opportunity in the negotiation process, as it is entering a decisive phase.
"It is a phase where Albania's will and ability to approximate EU legislation will be tested. Albania has made significant progress in implementing the EU reform agenda, within the framework of the growth plan for the Western Balkans, fulfilling 21 reform measures between December 2024 and June 2025. An excellent result that led the European Commission to disburse 99.3 million euros to Albania, a tangible indicator of the EU's commitment to further stimulate the pace of rapid reforms in Albania," he stressed.
Gonzato underlined the fact that the European Commission is ready to support Albania in every step of the ambitious goal of closing membership negotiations by the end of 2027.
"Albania must not only maintain, but accelerate the pace of reforms, while fulfilling the intermediate milestones that are concrete steps that member states have defined as fundamental requirements that every aspiring country must meet," he continued.
"These milestones are considered so important that without their fulfillment, no other chapter can be closed, even provisionally. The 2025 report published yesterday is factual and comprehensive. We hope that all political forces, the media, citizens, and business actors will consult it, as it provides a fair assessment of the country's progress, but also highlights the areas where Albania is lagging behind," said the EU ambassador.
The European Union Ambassador to Albania, stated that the report period covers September 1, 2024 to September 1, 2025. According to Gonzato, the findings of this report should not be a surprise as they show the advantages and challenges throughout the year.
"The enlargement report for Albania is positive and confirms Albania's strong political commitment to EU integration as a national priority. The report assesses the commitment to move forward in negotiations, an approach that continues to be maintained at the same level. Also, the current dynamics should be translated into faster reforms with the EU ," he said.
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