Albania has officially begun its EU accession negotiations, opening the first chapter during a meeting in Luxembourg.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, representing the EU Presidency, hailed the event as historic, stating, “We have opened the first chapter in Albania’s accession negotiations, bringing us closer to its EU membership.” Szijjarto emphasized the need to accelerate EU expansion into the Western Balkans, saying it would provide “new energy and impetus” for Europe, while calling the long wait times for EU membership “unacceptable.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed optimism, crediting the geopolitical situation for speeding up the process. “The attack on Ukraine made it clear that the EU needs the Western Balkans as much as we need the EU,” he noted.
EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi celebrated the opening of negotiations, stating, “This chapter sets the stage for concrete negotiations on Albania’s EU membership.”
Albania’s accession process gained momentum after separating from North Macedonia in the process, which was previously delayed due to Bulgaria’s demands on North Macedonia.