Integration/ Dhuka: Year 2026, a milestone for the country's EU membership

2026-01-20 12:06:00, Aktualitet CNA

Minister of State and Chief Negotiator of Albania for Integration into the European Union, Majlinda Duka, today gave her speech at a press conference on the new phase of negotiations with the EU.

Dhuka says that 2026 is an important year for the country's membership. She further added that a package of 12 legal initiatives will be presented at the conference, which according to her are related to the rule of law, the rule of law, better implementation of justice reform, protection from discrimination, protection of the family, etc.

Among other things, it is stated that this package also includes an innovation, which is the decriminalization of the criminal offense of defamation against journalists.

"In 2025, Albania opened negotiations for all areas, 33 chapters, on November 17 we opened negotiations for the last 5 chapters. 2026 is an important year, a milestone in the country's membership. With the great aspiration that in 2027 we will have achieved all the preparations, for the closure of the negotiations. It is a complex but also very positive work in terms of the European transformation of the country.

Between the opening and closing of negotiations, Albania must pass a test of competence, both in terms of political will and institutions. To do this, it must prepare for a number of reforms and practices of member states. This test is known as the fulfillment of intermediate conditions. The area in which Albania must pass this test of competence is the rule of law and the rule of law. We are here today to present an important package of 12 legal initiatives, related to the rule of law, the rule of law, the better implementation of the justice reform, protection from discrimination, protection of the family and so on, proving that the state has the capabilities to protect its citizens.

The package contains 6 draft laws proposed by the government and 6 that have been initiated by the Albanian Parliament. The package guarantees progress in three groups: in the fight against crime, in relation to equality and social justice and in measures to prevent corruption. This package has a number of approximations with EU law of Albanian law. This package brings a number of innovations, for the first time Albania decriminalizes the criminal offense of defamation against journalists” , said Dhuka. /CNA