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Tirana is ready to welcome the summit of the Berlin Process that lands in Albania for the first time.
The important event of October 16 is a good opportunity for the countries of the Western Balkans to ask for more funding from the European Union on their way to membership.
This was also emphasized by Prime Minister Edi Rama, invited to the "Inside Albania" podcast with journalist Alice Taylor.
Rama revealed some of the things that can be expected from this summit.
"Ursula von der Leyen will present the new economic growth plan for the countries of the Western Balkans, as a result of long efforts and essential discussions we have had with Brussels about the need to somehow break away from the traditional method of how we approach the membership process. Until now, the traditional process has been like this: if you start the talks or get the candidate country status, you have access to some small programs. To access larger programs, you must be a member. It can't go on like this. On the one hand, we need more financial support, on the other hand, we need access to the unified market space, which would help us a lot. This will be the main topic of that day and I think this will be a summit where the achievements will be very important," said Rama.
According to the Prime Minister, there are a number of drafts that have been prepared by the European Union on the occasion of this summit.
"We've seen some drafts that are more and more improved. I think that the drafts are still being improved and probably in a few days we will know exactly, not only what, but how the mechanism will work," explained the Prime Minister.
The Berlin process started in 2014 with the initiative of the former German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, with the aim of connecting and integrating the countries of the Western Balkans before joining the European Union.
Focusing on the perspective of Albania's membership in the European Union until 2030, as a deadline proposed by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, Rama was restrained.
"Let's be honest and realistic. Europe works in a way that the Commission, the Council are based on elections, changes. Charles Michel is a fantastic president of the European Council, but he won't be there next year. The Commission in its current composition as well. Membership in 2030 is not a decision. Experience has taught me that we should not rely on the deadlines set by the EU, because they change when it comes to the relationship with our countries. Now that we are in the process of talks, I am not worried because it is important to do the tasks. If we do them well, then we are a country that functions like the member states, in terms of standards, the way people approach the state and vice versa, how society works, how institutions work and how the economy develops. Formalization is not something that Charles Michel or everyone can decide today, because things can change," concluded the Prime Minister.
According to Rama, no Western Balkan country is ready to be a member of the European Union with full rights.
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