Integration, German Minister: Albania is ready! EU not delay

He says the EU should not delay the opening of negotiations with these countries, among them Albania, since otherwise other regimes, as he calls authoritarian, between them and Russia, will take the moment to draw these states back on themselves.

The war in Ukraine is a very great tragedy, and it stresses that the EU should take on more responsibility for peace and stability throughout Europe. It means not only in Eastern Europe but also in the Western Balkans. This is an obligation for us. And if we extend an invitation to Ukraine it doesn't mean that we are no longer interested in continuing our relations with Albania and other Western Balkan countries. This aspect slows the process? No no. Our friends in the Western Balkans waited too long, too long. We need to accelerate negotiations because if the EU is not viable, active and sound enough, other authoritarian regimes will complement the vacuum. That means the Russians in particular in Serbia, China or Turkey, and that is not absolutely in German or in European interest”, Roth said.

He stresses that recent developments -- the most important being war -- have caused EU confidence in countries in the region to drop.

I am not very satisfied with recent developments because the European Union has lost credibility in the region. It is time to start membership talks with Albania and Northern Macedonia as soon as possible. This is my message not only to our friends and partners in Albania, but also to our friends and colleagues in Brussels and I hope that with the French presidency of the Council we will have a real opportunity to keep our promises again”, Roth said.

Those statements were made after a meeting he had with an Albanian delegation led by Taulant Balla, head of the SP parliamentary group.