Albania expects foreign investment when opening EU membership negotiations

Opening negotiations with the European Union promotes foreign investments in the country and boosts Albania's access to funding programmes, especially those related to technical assistance.

In an interview for ATSH, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Clea Maliqi pauses on the benefits Albania will receive from opening negotiations with the European Union, as well as the next stations awaiting the country in the process.

Green plants for Albania have already been opened, Maliqi said, adding that the credit subx0> has started”.

It is time to join forces, create new results and speak in a voice like Albanians for Albania we want as the whole of Europe. This is the historic moment for all of us as a people that on the basis of merit to be dignified before Europe, as a country worthy to start the long way of transforming with clear relevant vision into the European community”, Maliqi said.

EU Political Calendar

The next step is the Sofia Summit, Deputy Minister Maliqi stressed, stopping at several important dates the country has in the process.

After receiving the European Commission's report for Albania on April 17th 2018, where the unconditional recommendation for opening negotiations was given, the country faces several important events: The Sofia EU-Western Balkans Summit 17 May 2018; European Union Foreign Ministers Council meeting June 26, 2018; European Council meeting, June 28, 2018; Negotiations, difficult reform course.

Maliqi emphasises that the “spread of negotiations does not mean Albania will be an EU member without crossing the difficult path of reforms and without meriting membership”.

“Opening negotiations is a signal of encouragement and support for us to follow our path of transformation in the belief that we are not alone, that we are no different, that we share the same values even though not the same prosperity”, she said.

We have not been here for a year, nor for a few years, says Maliqi.

So according to her, even the process of transformation will not last a single year or a few years. The “will be a long, but beautiful progress for the construction of Albania we want as the whole of Europe”, Maliqi told the ATSH.

Albania's benefits from opening negotiations

The biggest benefit of opening negotiations, for the deputy minister, “is the reinforced technical assistance that will be given to the Albanian government for implementation of reforms”.

Whether Albanians will benefit from this process is helping to reform every sector of life and better govern”, she said.

However, opening negotiations has several other benefits.

Maliqi says they are significant political confirmation that Albania belongs to the EU and its future is in the EU.

In addition, opening negotiations <x0ndgre the level of political relations and political communication between institutions”.

Opening negotiations, Maliqi said, promotes foreign investments and Albania may have a kind of increased access to funding programmes, especially those related to technical assistance.