It is of historical importance that the European Union opened the first group of chapters of the EU accession negotiations with Albania in order for the country to become a member of the European Union as soon as possible. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama singled out Orbán, Péter Szijjártó and Commissioner Várhelyi in his speech, stressing that this success would not have been possible without their effective help. And so it is - Hungarian diplomacy has been the engine of the EU's Western Balkan expansion for decades.

The Albanian success couldn't be more Hungarian: under the Hungarian presidency, Prime Minister Rama announced the big move four days after he visited Viktor Orbán in Budapest, together with the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Hungarian Commissioner for Enlargement, writes the Mandiner .

 

It is of historical significance that the European Union has opened the first group of chapters of the EU accession negotiations with Albania in order for the country to become a member of the European Union as soon as possible, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

After the second intergovernmental conference between the European Union and Albania, Péter Szijjártó emphasized that the acceleration of EU enlargement with the countries of the Western Balkans is high on the agenda of the Hungarian presidency.

As the European Union is losing its competitiveness and weight in the field of global politics and the world economy, it needs freshness, new energy, new momentum, which its immediate neighbors, the countries of the Western Balkans region, can provide, the minister emphasized.

"We must take urgent steps in order to preserve the credibility of the enlargement policy," said Péter Szijjártó, then added: " we must speed up the enlargement procedures. It is in the European interest that the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans accelerates".

He said:

the majority of member states say that enlargement should be a merit-based process. In the case of Albania, the merits can be seen in action: be it economy, politics, or social issues

he drew attention.

" It is clear that Albania has performed very well in terms of the conditions put forward by the European Union in order to be able to open the negotiation chapters ," he said.

The minister emphasized: it is a great privilege and honor for Hungary that substantive negotiations with Albania have begun under the Hungarian presidency.

He reminded: 2011, during the first Hungarian presidency of the EU, was the last time that preparations for the accession of a candidate country, Croatia, were completed. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade expressed his hope that " we do not have to wait until the next Hungarian presidency for a country to become the next new member of the European Union ".

Péter Szijjártó, who chaired the second EU-Albania intergovernmental conference, emphasized in his speech: Hungary, which lives in the immediate neighborhood of the Western Balkans, pursues a responsible neighborhood policy.

He knows very well what it feels like when the Western Balkan region experiences a lack of peace, tranquility, development and stability. In his words, the integration process contributes to making the Western Balkans more developed, more stable and safer. This is why Hungary has committed itself to accompany Albania on its way to the European Union, he emphasized.

Olivér Várhelyi, the EU commissioner responsible for enlargement and neighborhood policy, stated at the press conference that the European Union and Albania can celebrate a landmark moment by the fact that the parties have opened the first chapter of the accession negotiations. According to his words, this means: now the way is clear for meaningful negotiations.

In connection with the opening of the accession chapter, the Hungarian EU Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the Hungarian EU Presidency for starting its half-year work with the fact that the EU not only treated enlargement as a political priority, but also made great efforts to advance the institutional process.

Thanks to the Hungarian EU presidency, it is now unquestionable that enlargement is among the three most important priorities for the EU and its leaders, he said. Without enlargement, Europe cannot become stronger - stated the Hungarian EU Commissioner.

He pointed out that in April, the EU accepted a financial instrument worth six billion euros (about HUF 2,400 billion) to help the Western Balkans' integration into the EU. The growth plan helps speed up all the reforms that are necessary so that the affected countries can become members as soon as possible, he explained.

The EU funding tool made it possible to "start building Europe in Albania as well"

Várhelyi pointed out, and then added: this is because Albania has never been ashamed to do everything that the EU path requires.

The EU commissioner expressed his hope that the started work will continue, and then emphasized: it means that with all the available EU tools, Albania can prepare to become a member of the European Union by the end of the next mandate of the European Commission.

Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, said that for his country "there is no other future and no other way" except the European Union. He stated: there is no plan B, only belonging to the European community. This is the only option, he underlined. The Albanian Prime Minister greeted the Hungarian EU presidency, which, according to him, played a very important role in advancing the accession process.

MTI

Cover photo: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement of the European Commission at the press conference held after the EU-Albania intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on October 15, 2024. (Photo: MTI/Boglárka Bodnár)