Rama in Dublin: Gradual integration into the EU is the right path; without normalisation with Kosovo, Serbia remains a prisoner of the past

Prime Minister Edi Rama visited Dublin, Ireland, at the invitation of the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). Speaking before experts on European and Balkan affairs and members of the diplomatic corps, he discussed Albania’s European prospects.

The meeting was held under the theme “Albania’s European Journey: From Aspiration to Integration”, and the discussion focused on the country’s accession process to the European Union.

Rama said Albania had reached a decisive point in its European journey. He said the country had never before had such a concrete opportunity to join the European family, and that this was a moment it needed to seize.

“The team asked me to get up at 6 a.m. to leave Paris and make it here for this conversation. I think we should make it a question-and-answer session, because I could speak for a long time. We are at a very decisive moment, because we see not only the horizon but also an open door, a real opportunity to become part of the European family. This is a high point, one that did not exist until recently. Things that seemed impossible now seem possible. We will seize this moment and will finally be able to cross the boundary that has separated us from Europe for so long,” the prime minister said.

According to him, this situation requires Albania’s utmost commitment to meeting the expectations of member states. Rama stressed that the European process has a complex decision-making mechanism, requiring 27 votes. He also cited France, where approval by two-thirds of parliamentary votes is required. “For now, we are on the right track and everything is proceeding according to the rules. We agree with the European Commission on this as well,” he said.

Asked whether concluding negotiations by 2027 was a realistic goal and how he viewed gradual integration, Rama said the European Commission also considered the end of 2027 ambitious but achievable.

“Gradual integration is something I myself fought for over a long time, before such an idea took shape. I was not alone; I worked with other colleagues to give meaning to a merit-based process. The gap between candidate countries and member states in terms of finances, the economy and other areas is growing ever wider. Gradual accession is the right approach. The Growth Plan is part of that approach,” the prime minister said.

Speaking about the elections in Serbia and the possibility of a new dynamic emerging in the region, Rama said the European Commission had faced difficulties with the previous Serbian government, particularly on issues related to the rule of law and other fundamental requirements.

He added that it was still too early to give an accurate assessment of future developments, as Serbia was going through a “social experiment” involving the so-called Student List. According to Rama, this represents a new development in several respects.

“But as far as we Albanians are concerned, there seems to be no openness to normalisation with Kosovo, to sanctions against Russia, or to what were seen as the previous government’s positions of resistance. It is still early. If there is no normalisation with Kosovo, the ghost of the past will continue to haunt Belgrade,” Rama said.

On migration and the departure of many Albanians, the prime minister argued that citizens had once viewed migration as their only chance for a better future. He compared this reality with the experience of the Irish, for whom leaving had also been an important choice in the past.

Rama said the situation in Ireland began to change when people had the option of choosing between staying and emigrating, and that a similar moment would come for Albania too.

“A new world reaches young people through the colourful screens of their smartphones. It is difficult for young people living in the mountains to choose between a future that is an hour away and one they have to wait 10 years for. Albanians have always been a people on the move, and for half a century we were not allowed to move; that, too, must be taken into account,” he said.

The prime minister stressed that some Albanians were returning to the country, and that balance would be achieved when Albania offered its citizens conditions close to the European Union average.