Commissioner Kos travels to Albania to take stock of EU accession negotiations

Marta Kos, Commissioner for Enlargement, will visit Albania from 12 to 14 March, marking her first official mission to the country.

This visit will serve as an occasion to discuss with the Albanian authorities the state of play of the EU accession process, in particular progress on fundamentals and justice reforms. The visit will equally be an opportunity to convey the importance of consolidating achievements through further tangible results, in line with the merit-based nature of the process.

Among others, the Commissioner will meet with Prime Minister Edi Rama, EU Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka; and with the Assembly Speaker Elisa Spiropali. She will also engage with the Albanian independent justice institutions, members of Parliament, including representatives from the opposition, as well as civil society organisations. In addition, Commissioner Kos will address students of the College of Europe and University of Tirana and exchange on the role of civil society and youth engagement in EU’s enlargement policy in the Western Balkans. 

As part of her mission, Commissioner Kos will visit three EU-funded projects in Elbasan, where she will engage with social enterprises supported by assets confiscated from organised crime, she will engage with women victims of gender-based violence and exchange with young students taking part in the Western Balkans school exchange programme which supports reconciliation and intercultural learning and dialogue. A joint press conference with Prime Minister Rama is scheduled for 13 March at 10:10 CET and will be livestreamed on EBS.