EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a press conference in the capital of Albania, Tirana, that the EU will be issuing up to €100 million in funds to Albania following positive progress in various reforms. Albania is currently conducting various reforms to be eligible for EU membership which it plans to achieve fully by 2030. The press conference was held with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Albania is opening up its market and economy to European trade and investment in order to join the single-market and this process is being supported by the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The EU estimates that economies of the Western Balkans will double in size in the next ten years and has allocated up to €6 billion for its plan which will be spent on public investment projects including infrastructure. Funds are released to Western Balkan states against reforms that enable them to access the EU’s single-market.
Some of the reforms that Albania was requested to do to meet EU standards were anti-corruption reforms ,strengthening the independence of the judiciary, decreasing nepotism in the public service and digitising public services.
The EU Commissioner President said that Albania has also aligned its foreign and security policies with those of the EU and is fully aligned with sanctions against Russia. She said that Albania has also been added to SEPA and roaming charges between the EU and Albania will be abolished as of next year.
Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed Albania’s progress in its reforms and reiterated his confidence that Albania will be an EU member by the target date set of 2030.
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