Integration, Minister Hasani: No more reservations and delays for the Western Balkans

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, participated in the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of the Central European Initiative (CEI), which was held in Tirana, under the leadership of the Albanian side.

Minister Hasani appreciated the work of CEI so far in support of the Western Balkans, as he emphasized the urgent need to accelerate the integration process of the region.

"Moved also by the real risk of direct or hybrid influence of third factors in the region, we believe that it is time for the member countries of the European Union to pay due attention and commit without delay and without reservations to the acceleration of the integration of Western Balkans, but not only. We express our gratitude to Hungary, which, today on July 1, takes the next presidency of the European Union, defining as one of the priorities of its presidency the delayed expansion of the countries of the Western Balkans", said minister Hasani.

The Albanian chief diplomat said that Albania considers the CEI a pro-active platform for regional cooperation, as he underlined that our country has been and continues to be one of the relentless promoters of every proposal and project of this initiative.

At the proposal of Minister Hasani, the meeting started with a minute of silence in honor of the life and contribution of the writer Ismail Kadare, who passed away today.

Albania is a member of the Initiative for Central Europe since 1996 and has its presidency from January 2024 - December 2024.