Address of H.E. Albana Dautllari to the European Leadership Conference on the Western Balkans at the European Parliament in Brussels on 19 November 2025.
N.B. This transcription has been prepared with as much accuracy as possible, but please note that it may contain minor discrepancies.
Thank you. Mr. President, Honorable Lukas Mandl, dear guests, dear colleagues. I would like to thank the Universal Peace Federation and the Hon. Lukas Mandl for organizing this timely discussion and for inviting me. It is an honor to address this gathering at a moment when the stability of our region and resilience of our democracies carry profound implications for the security of Europe as a whole. Our panel theme, Resilience in Transition, speaks directly to the experience of the Western Balkans, a region that has traveled a long way from conflict to cooperation, but which still faces challenges that test the strength of our democratic system.
Today, as we heard a lot about the region as well, I'll speak more specifically about Albania's path, its reforms, and its unwavering commitment to regional stability and European integration. Our region, the Western Balkans, has arisen under pressure, yet moving forward. Across the region, our democracies continue to evolve, often under difficult conditions. The conflict in Ukraine has increased this pressure by creating new geopolitical dynamics and exposing fragilities in our energy security, our information space, and our institutional resilience. But despite these challenges, most of the Western Balkans have shown a remarkable determination to uphold peace, strengthen governments, and move closer to the European Union.
Allow me to highlight Albania's experience and an experience that goes by deep transformation, bold reforms, and clear strategic orientation. When it comes to the rule of law and justice reform, Albania has undertaken one of the most comprehensive justice reforms in Europe. When it comes to good governance and public administration, Albania continues to modernize its public administration, digitalized services, and strengthen transparency. We are investing in e-governance to reduce corruption risks and make institutions more responsive. Media freedom and civic participation have been a priority, and it will remain so. Albania has been working closely with its European partners to improve media legislation, support independent journalism, and protect journalists' rights. Also, Albania has been working and advancing measures to improve the investment climate, diversify the economy, and promote sustainable growth from tourism and energy to agriculture and digital transformation.
It is also important to highlight Albania's contribution to regional stability. Albania has been accepted as a factor of stability in the Western Balkans. We believe that dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect are essential for peace and development in our region. Albania is fully committed to the building process and other initiatives, and we think this helps in the gradual integration, as mentioned at the beginning. We are a reliable security partner. As a NATO member, Albania has contributed to regional and Euro-Atlantic security and fully aligns with EU foreign and security policy. Albania supports dialogue as the only path to resolving disputes and is committed to fostering a climate of cooperation and reconciliation. When it comes to the European Union, for us, the European Union is the anchor of resilience. For Albania and for the Western Balkans, EU integration remains the most powerful instrument for building stable democracies. The EU's engagement is essential not only for the enlargement, but for securing a peaceful and resilient continent.
This week, Albania opened the last cluster of negotiations, and we expect by 2027 to close all of them and become a member by 2030, if not before. Yesterday, I was attending an EU enlargement forum. It was the first time that it was organized by the European Commission and many of the speakers mentioned Montenegro and Albania as frontrunners. And we really hope that it will be the case, because it will give this perspective to all the region. Building resilience is what the region is [all about], but to strengthen democratic resilience, the Western Balkans must continue to work with the reforms. And Albania is working on deepening rule of law reforms, strengthening independent media, accelerating economic organization, enhancing energy and digital connectivity, confronting hybrid threats, investing in youth and education.
And in conclusion, I think the Western Balkans are now at an important juncture. Albania firmly believes that the future of our region lies in democratic resilience, regional cooperation, and full integration into the European family. By working together, governments, civil society, regional partners, and EU institutions, we can secure a peaceful and prosperous future for the entire European continent. Thank you.