Integration in the EU/Bregu: More commitment to reforms and the fight against corruption

2024-05-09 16:16:00, Politikë CNA

Integration in the EU/Bregu: More commitment to reforms and the fight against

General Secretary of RCC, Majlinda Bregu

On the occasion of the Europe Day, the General Secretary of the RCC, Majlinda Bregu, issued a declaration for the integration of Albania in the EU.

Bregu says 54% of Western Balkan citizens support EU membership, but points out that it has fallen by 8 points since 2021 due to frustration at the slow pace of progress.

It shows that the percentage of those who think that EU membership will never happen has fallen by 5%, from 23 to 18 percent. So, optimism exists, but it comes harder.

The Secretary of the RCC calls for more commitment to reform, to fight corruption and to build a future where the Western Balkans is not just a guest at the party, but part of the family.

"In early twentieth-century France, the Nobel laureate Romain Rolland proclaimed the symphony "Ode to Joy" as the great humanist ode to the brotherhood of all people and it was called the anthem of humanity. While I was preparing this morning for this Talking Point, the yet-to-be-released data from the new edition of the Balkan Barometer took some of that joy out of today, because unfortunately the data shows a further and deep decline in the support of Western Balkan citizens for membership in the EU. Among the 54% of Western Balkan citizens who support EU membership, sentiment still remains largely favorable across the region. But an eight-point drop from 2021 is a stark reminder of the frustrations many feel about the slow pace of progress, as well as a call to action. The percentage of those who think EU membership will never happen has fallen by 5%, from 23 to 18 percent. So, optimism exists, but it comes harder.

The Western Balkans has come a long way over the past two decades. But developing the region's potential will require new sources of dynamism and transformation to overcome profound social, institutional and environmental challenges. And this is not only about money and the market, it is about values: democracy, the rule of law, human rights.

So on this Europe Day, let's not just wave flags or watch fireworks. Let's commit to the hard work of reform, to fight corruption and build a future where the Western Balkans is not just a guest at the party, but part of the family. A people-centred Europe that is adaptable, reformed, revitalized and inclusive, with the Western Balkans firmly integrated, represents the optimal investment in peace and security for the entire continent.

As Europe prepares for the next elections, those of us who cannot vote extend our best wishes to the progressive, responsible Europeans who will cast their vote not only for themselves, but for us as well. We, who are outside the embrace, look forward to Europe's future unfolding positively despite our inability to shape it directly. Therefore, my European compatriots give a positive thought and a vote to all those who, as in the text of the "Ode of Joy", sing: "Drunken by fire, we dare to enter, Holy One, inside your shrine".

Cheers, for a stronger, more united Europe!", underlines Bregu./ CNA