Ruchi: NATO member Albania ready for opening EU negotiations

Albania's Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci has welcomed today the 12th anniversary of Albania's official NATO membership.

“Today is a historic date on Albania's Euro-Atlantic journey. After completing the ratification of the membership protocol by all member states and depositing the NATO accession instrument at the American State Department, Albania officially joined NATO on 1 April 2009. Albania received parts for the first time as full-fledged member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation at the Strasbourg/Kehl summit on April 4th 2009. On April 7th 2009, in Brussels, the official flag-building ceremony for Albania's NATO” took place, Ruci said.

NATO membership was the crowning of Albania's achievements and contributions to security, stability and peace. During these 12 years Albania has been tested as a worthy member of the Alliance and has contributed to its missions in helping peace and security in some regions of the planet. Albania, with its roots, culture and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, arrived 12 years ago at one of its Western stations, in that of security and peace. Today we are at the gates of the EU, the development and welfare station, and ready for the start of negotiations”, Ruci said.

With arrival at this station, Albania and Albanians end the asymmetric position between our European identity, our Euro-Atlantic position, and which is being pursued and fulfilled by joining the European family and the complete return to the European political habitat. Albania in NATO and at the EU gates are credited to all Albanians. But today it is the opportunity to express our gratitude for the strong support of our strategic partners, the United States and the European Union for the strong support of our Euro-Atlantic journey”, the Speaker of the Assembly, Gramoz Ruci, writes in his message.