Albania opens today the membership negotiations for the first group-chapter with the EU

2024-10-15 07:54:12Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Albania opens today the membership negotiations for the first group-chapter with

Today, October 15, is expected to mark a historic step for our country, as far as the journey to the European Union is concerned.

Albania will open negotiations with the EU, for the first group-chapter. Yesterday (October 14) the agreement of the 6 leaders of the Western Balkans with the EU on the Berlin Process was signed, where the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, was also present.

The meeting that will be held in Luxembourg will be attended by the head of the government Edi Rama himself, together with the team that will represent Albania. 

From today, the examination of the first group-chapter begins, one of the most important, as it touches essential areas, such as; justice, judiciary, functioning of democratic institutions, public procurement or public administration reform. In this group, as it is also called 'basics' or 'fundamentals', it also includes public procurement, statistics and financial control.

This group-chapter is opened first and closed at the end of the integration process. Progress in this group will determine the overall pace of negotiations. Meanwhile, today also marks the holding of the second EU-Albania intergovernmental conference.

Albania applied for EU membership in April 2009 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2014. The EU held its first intergovernmental conference with Albania in July 2022.

First chapter group for which Albania opens negotiations 
- Functioning of democratic institutions
- Public administration reform
- Chapter 23 - Judiciary and fundamental rights
- Chapter 24 - Justice, freedom and security
- Economic criteria
- Chapter 5 - Public procurement
- Chapter 18 - Statistics
- Chapter 32 - Financial control


The team representing Albania tomorrow in Luxembourg
Prime Minister Edi Rama
Foreign Minister Igli Hasani
Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka
Ambassador Ferit Hoxha
Deputy Foreign Minister Megi Fino
Deputy Minister of Justice Tedi Tobi
Deputy Minister of the Interior Besfort Lamallari
Director of European Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Director of DAP
Director of INSTAT, Elsa Dhuli
Director of Public Procurement Agency, Reida Kashta
Department of Politics and Integration in the Prime Minister


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