Rama in conference with Von der Leyen: We discussed integration, the Growth Plan for BP and Ukraine

2025-10-13 11:06:00, Politikë CNA

Rama in conference with Von der Leyen: We discussed integration, the Growth Plan

Prime Minister Edi Rama and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are holding a joint press conference. He said that Von der Leyen and the European Commission are paying special attention to the Western Balkan countries and their European integration.

Rama said that in the meeting with the EC President they discussed Albania's integration into the European Union, the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the war in Ukraine. He stressed that support for Ukraine will continue without reservations.

"The President and the current European Commission pay special attention to the countries of the Western Balkans. In this regard, we talked about the integration process, which is progressing very quickly and successfully. We also talked about the new Growth Plan that the EC has made available to the Western Balkans. I am very pleased that on this point too we received a positive assessment from the President and we will continue to carry out the tasks we have undertaken with precision and perseverance. We talked about cooperation and strengthening security in the region. We also touched on the issue of Ukraine's resistance to Russian aggression and on this point too we agree that we must continue to support Ukraine without reservation. This was a brief summary expressing gratitude to the EC for the fact that the work we are doing to advance the negotiation process would not be what it is now without the support of the Commission. Of course, I thank Von der Leyen for not only the fact that she is returning to Albania, but that she is returning unwavering in her support for Albania's integration into the EU." Rama said.

Responding to journalists' questions, Rama said that at the current pace, Albania will have closed all chapters of the integration process by 2027.

"We and I personally not only believe what we say, but based on this belief, we recently conducted an entire election campaign, where we asked Albanians for support for Albania 2030 in the European Union. Meanwhile, as far as what I said about the EU is concerned, I do not take any of your words seriously, because at that time, the EC proposed to the Council to open negotiations and the Council rejected them because of two or three countries that were becoming obstacles. But today we have opened 5 groups of chapters in just 11 months, a record time and we have certainly done our duty. If we continue at this pace, we will be able to do our duty in 2027. And the EC has always done its duty.

When it says 2027, it says that within 2027 the chapters will be closed. And we, on our part, to get there, must fulfill our duties here. If today we receive a positive assessment, it comes as a result of the duties done so far. We, on our part, will succeed, we must do all the duties, which are very well defined, plus the growth plan. If today we receive such a positive assessment, this comes as a result of the duties done so far. We do not do the duties because they ask us or because we want to please those who will approve our membership tomorrow in Paris or Berlin, because London has gone in an unknown direction. We do the duties for ourselves because it makes us more functional as a state. For the integration process is a democratic state-building process. In the end, when the commission says we finished our work, it means that Albania receives a certificate that we are a functional democratic state. "Then as such we can enter the EU and the process of improvement continues, which never ends, not even Germany has finished it. We are lucky to be in the middle of Europe and have the EU ," Rama said. /CNA