European Council President Antonio Costa reiterated on Monday that EU enlargement is a political priority, calling joining the bloc “the best way” to ensure peace and prosperity in the Western Balkans.
“The enlargement to the Western Balkans is a clear political priority for the European Union,” Costa said in a joint media statement with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Brussels.
Praising Albania’s progress towards the EU, Costa said a new block of EU accession talks opens on Monday, and added that the aim is to open additional blocks of talks within a year.
“It (enlargement) is our real commitment with the region, and it is the most important geopolitical investment — for peace, for prosperity, and for stability on our continent.”
Costa further noted that this development is important not only for Albania, but for the whole continent, emphasising: “The best way to ensure prosperity, peace and stability in the Western Balkans is through European Union accession.”
To support this process, Costa announced plans to visit all six Western Balkan countries in May “to strengthen our co-operation and our common efforts to achieve good results in this accession process.”
“More than ever, it is very important that we are all together, united, because united we are stronger, and the world needs a stronger Europe,” he added.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he was happy to discuss his country’s path to the EU and the upcoming European Political Community summit to be held in Tirana on May 16.
“There is a lot to discuss but overall, I’m very, very encouraged by these developments,” Rama said, referring to the opening of the new negotiating bloc on Monday.
Rama also reiterated Albania’s commitment to fulfil all requirements within the deadline and said the country was “very ambitious” to finalise EU accession negotiations by 2027.
