8 hours agoMarta Kos: Technically, by 2026 or 2027, Montenegro and Albania could complete the EU membership process
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said they are accelerating the enlargement process. Speaking at a panel discussion with Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama and Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Hristian Mickoski at the Munich Conference, she said the EU is working “dy to three times faster” than [...]
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said they are accelerating the enlargement process.
Speaking at a panel discussion with Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama and Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Hristian Mickoski at the Munich Conference, she said the EU is working “dy to three times faster” than earlier.
Montenegro and Albania, Kos said they could complete the technical part of membership by 2026 or 2027.
We need to make a distinction between the technical part of the process and the political part. As for the technical part, we can say we can finish with Montenegro and Albania by the end of 2026 or 2027x1>, she said.
Kos said that then comes the <x0-political approach”, which includes the will of member states.
NO significant step or step can take place without the will of member states”, she said.
And we're doing this to see what we can do. The technical part is based on merit, but there is political will. And the geopolitical I talked about at first plays an important role”, she said.
Rama was later asked by Ida Ruge, senior associate for Politics at the European Council for Foreign Relations, who was the leader of this discussion, if this is the ambitious “afat for Albania” and whether you believe this could happen.
Well, what I do know is that when we started this process, my hair was completely black and my chin was much more adjusted. But, as a great Netflix fan, I would say that after what I saw on these two days under this roof, which was wonderful, Netflix could do two series: one for the EU and one for the US. The EU series would be for a patient with 27 doctors. There were 28, but one went crazy and left the hospital. While the US series would be a show with a single sheriff,”, the Albanian prime minister said, ironising with the bureaucratic part of the EU membership process.
Kos said that “cannot speak” for a real deadline for the membership of all Western Balkan countries in the EU, because, as he said, “there are differences among countries”.
But during my mandate, we can bring two or maybe three states to the end of the membership process, which means closing all negotiation chapters”, she said.
Asked what countries it is about, she said “are Montenegro and Albania”, which she added are leading in the process.
