Murtazani: Everyone in the EU agrees that we are delivering solid momentum in the rule of law reforms

Brussels – All member states of the European Union concluded that the country is delivering a solid dynamic of reforms in the area of the rule of law, said the Minister for European Affairs Orhan Murtezani for MIA after today’s meeting of the EU General Affairs Council (GAC), where one of the points was also the reports of the European Commission on the rule of law in some of the candidate countries for membership in 2025.

– The report notes certain reforms that have been successfully implemented; however, there are also areas where we will need to invest additional energy and effort to implement all their proposals and recommendations. Today at the meeting, I emphasized that we do not see these recommendations as weaknesses, but as guidelines that we should follow and resolve as quickly as possible, Murtezani pointed out. 

He reminded that this is the second consecutive year that candidate countries, including ours, are included in the so-called Rule of Law Mechanism, which was previously exclusively intended for EU member states.  

– From the support I saw today from all my colleagues from the member states, I believe that the process of gradual integration or the so-called phasing-in process will gain additional momentum, as this is the right way not only to monitor the reforms but also to keep under control and direct their implementation, concluded Murtezani. 

Regarding today’s sixth Intergovernmental Conference Albania-EU, at which four new chapters of the negotiation process were opened, Murtezani assessed that the speed with which Tirana is opening chapters, and soon plans to start closing them, should be an even greater motivation for us to start the cluster negotiation process as quickly as possible.  

– The momentum is here. We must not allow that momentum to be missed, added Murtezani. 

When asked how realistic the chances are for the admission of more new members to the EU in 2030, Murtezani said that after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, listening to all representatives of the EU member states and considering the determination of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and all leaders of the European Union, that is the year when the EU will insist on admitting as many candidate countries as possible. 

– So that framework – 2030, is very possible for us, if we quickly open negotiations and can quickly reach their closure, and then we will wait for the member states to have the final say, added Murtezani in a statement for MIA from Brussels. (September 16, 2025)