Albania EU Membership Talks Enter Final Phase
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama declared his country will not seek veto power over EU decisions after accession as it enters the final phase of membership negotiations begun in 2022.
Edi Rama made the striking commitment during the eighth Intergovernmental Conference between Albania and the EU, held in Brussels on May 26, according to Brussels Signal.
The Albanian leader characterized his nation as staunchly pro-European, stating it has consistently aligned itself with EU foreign policy positions. We are EU fanatics, and EU fanatics cannot place a veto on EU decisions, Rama told the conference.
The meeting confirmed Albania had successfully met interim benchmarks under the critical “Fundamentals” cluster, which encompasses judicial reform, fundamental rights, justice system integrity, and public administration overhaul. Officials also established closing benchmarks for that cluster, marking what the European Commission has described as the concluding stage of negotiations.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos participated in the conference alongside a delegation led by Marilena Raouna, Cyprus’s deputy minister for European affairs.
Long Road to Membership
Albania submitted its EU membership application in 2009 and received candidate status in 2014. Formal accession negotiations commenced in July 2022, with all negotiating clusters opened by 2025.
Rama has set an ambitious timeline, pushing for negotiations to conclude within two years and full membership to be achieved by 2030.
Controversial Proposal on Limited Membership
The Prime Minister’s comments on forgoing veto rights follow a controversial proposal he advanced in March. Writing jointly with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in the German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Rama suggested their countries should join the EU single market and Schengen area without veto rights, European commissioners, or members of the European Parliament.
The European Commission and member states firmly rejected this framework, maintaining that full membership must include full rights and responsibilities.
Rule of Law Concerns Persist
Albania’s membership bid continues to face scrutiny over rule of law issues and corruption. The European Parliament has submitted dozens of amendments addressing these concerns, while several member states previously blocked a key progress report over questions about judicial independence.
Rama has pushed back against critics, as Brussels Signal reports, telling journalists that while Albania welcomes partnership and support, it will not accept lectures on fighting corruption.
Albanian negotiators will now work to close individual chapters, with both sides targeting 2027 to complete the accession process.
With information from Brussels Signal
