David SASSOLI, EP President, speaks to the press on the occasion of his official visit to Tirana, Albania.

statement

official visit

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

EU - Albania (T)

Tirana

Albania

Official visit by David SASSOLI, EP President to Tirana: statement

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, This visit has been really important, because we believe that Albania is ready for the accession process and this allowed us to take stock of the situation with all the Albanian institutions. We need Albania in the EU and this country really makes a positive impression. We visited Tirana, that is already an European city where people think about the future, not only to adapt the past. We understood that the eye of the Albanian, of the Tirana citizens is really on the Europe, there is no plan b for them and this delay in the accession process has to be overcome. We have to reconcile the geographical and the political space and Albania's will to get closer to EU is very important. Albania can play a crucial role in the Western Balkans issues. It is a country of tolerance, religious and political pluralism, institutional secularism, it can be an element of stability in the Western Balkans for its attitude to dialogue expressed towards other countries. And this is very positive.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, We need Albania in the EU to grow all together, to increase our security, to allow the access to new relevant markets, that could be a great asset for the Western Balkans, but also for other European countries. There is a future to write all together. Of course the EP and the other European institutions believe that of course Albania can write it with us. There have been some delay, but this does not prevent us from opening in a short term this accession process for which Albania is already up. In this moment we face many challenges regarding our future and the relationships of the EU at a global stage. And this is why bringing Western Balkans countries closer to us is a strategic point of our agenda. 