Edi Rama praises Albania’s progress in EU membership talks and the work of public officials during a year-end press briefing.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has hailed the country’s progress in European Union membership negotiations as the standout achievement of 2024.
Speaking at his annual press conference, Rama described the opening of talks as a “historic step” and credited Albania’s public administration for its role. “This extraordinary process, in terms of volume, intensity, and quality, would have been impossible without the dedication of hundreds of negotiators and public employees,” he said.
The European Commission has praised Albania’s efforts, with representatives from some of the EU’s most skeptical nations calling the screening phase “exceptional.” The screening process is a key step, involving a detailed assessment of Albania’s systems in all sectors.
Rama also addressed criticism of Albania’s public administration, urging fairness in assessments. “The cases of misconduct that make headlines represent a tiny fraction of our administration and don’t reflect the overall quality of our governance,” he said.
Looking ahead to 2025, Rama expressed confidence that Albania’s EU journey would continue to gather momentum.
