EC: “

DW: What are the provisions of EU legislation, which confronts the Tirana government project for granting Albanian citizenship to foreigners who can invest in Albania -- that is, giving the so-called” gold passports”?

Ana Pisonero-Hernandez: The EU respects the right of sovereign countries to decide on how to grant citizenship. At the same time, the current context of Russian aggression against Ukraine further highlights risks posed by citizenship schemes for foreign investors and the need for immediate steps. These are programmes that offer citizenship in exchange for a default payment or investment and without a real connection to the country in question.

DW: Mrs. Pesorno-Hermandez, just mentioned the risks, but what are they if this project despite EC warnings will move towards implementation?

Ana Pisonero-Hernandez: The risks include exploring organised crime, money laundering, tax evasion and corruption through potential applicants from third countries. The Commission considers these schemes in violation of EU law and has launched procedures against member states that violated the law in 2020. Because of the prospect of future EU citizenship, the nationality of candidate countries can become increasingly attractive to investors.

DW: The EU officially opened membership negotiations with Albania in July of this year, precisely with the analytical revision of Albanian legislation, with a view to/year-long demand that national legislation be in line with that of the EU. Under the new EU enlargement strategy, the membership process is irreversible if there is no progress in meeting the requirements of this process. Is this project's conflict with EU law such an option?

Ana Pisonero-Hernandez: The EU is monitoring, under the EU membership process, any plan by candidate countries to introduce citizenship schemes. Currently, we are preparing future annual reports of the enlargement package, expected to be presented in October.

DW: EU foreign ministers will meet this week, on Wednesday, August 31st in Prague to discuss the arrest of the two Russians' State Police, a Ukrainian and four Czechs that wanted to photograph two weapons plants in Albania, in Grams and in Polican. Both incidents show that EU warnings of threats to Albania's national security, under Russian aggression against Ukraine, are real, based. What are the EU expectations of this meeting? Will the issue of the “Golden Passports” from Albania be part of this meeting's agenda?

Ana Pisonero-Hernandez: We're following reports of the incident at the military facility at Grams. We expect a thorough investigation by the relevant Albanian authorities, which has already begun. First of all, two injured Albanian soldiers wish them quick healing. Albania and the EU have a close partnership for security issues.