President of the European Economic and Social Committee: Strong civil dialogue is needed for Albania's integration into the EU

2025-07-20 18:04:00, Politikë CNA

President of the European Economic and Social Committee: Strong civil dialogue

The President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Oliver Röpke, has shared his views regarding developments in the integration processes in the Balkans and Albania.

In an interview with the foreign media 'EuNews', Röpke emphasized strong civil dialogue.

"A strong civil and social dialogue is the DNA of the Committee, so it is our main demand even when we talk about enlargement. Enlargement is an open process, representing not only a geopolitical imperative, but also a democratic promise, a moral and social commitment," said Röpke.

The EESC President's focus on civil society is nothing new, nor is his attention to the gradual integration of the candidate countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine - into the EU. An approach that foresees the extension to the mentioned countries of certain EU policies (such as roaming or the SEPA transfer area) and the introduction of specific cooperation instruments even before their official entry.

Röpke calls the initiative a success and assures that it will be maintained in the next EESC term, starting next October. However, the means should not be confused with the ends, so as not to create a de facto substitute for enlargement.

"The EC is a tool that should serve to facilitate accession to the Union, but it cannot end up replacing it," risking leaving candidate countries in oblivion, the President said.

Röpke states that dialogue between sectors of society is not a luxury, but a structural necessity to build sustainable democracies before these countries join the EU. /CNA