Is Albania ready to join the EU?

Albania is one of nine countries attempting to join the EU. What’s the process and is it ready to join?

Transcript

00:00 The notion of enlargement is somehow wrong.

00:04 It's not about enlarging because we are in the belly of Europe.

00:11 It's about integrating. It's about unifying.

00:14 For us, it's the first way we have chosen freely

00:25 after many centuries of impossibility to choose where we want to be, who we want to be.

00:34 We are the most Euro-optimistic nation in the whole Europe, based on the EU barometers.

00:43 And I believe very much that this is related to our history and to our inner conviction

00:50 that finally we have the possibility to be part of a space of peace, of security and of freedom.

01:00 Nobody is ready to be part, but in the meantime,

01:11 a lot of time was wasted by keeping us at the gates and not allowing us to have accession talks.

01:24 Accession talks are the most incredible know-how source of state building

01:33 that humanity has created thanks to the EU.

01:36 Now, with accession talks, we have no rush,

01:41 because we need to use this know-how transfer at the best

01:50 to build here a member-like state, democratic state, functioning state,

01:59 with good governance and rule of law.

02:01 And then, we'll join, hopefully.

02:06 What is the role of the EU in the fight against organized crime and corruption?

02:09 You never know what is enough done when it comes to organized crime and corruption.

02:15 It's never enough done even in the EU countries,

02:18 let alone in countries like ours that are still in making.

02:23 What Albania has done to fight organized crime and corruption

02:27 is unique among all the countries that are today negotiating the accession.

02:35 The accountability in front of the law has become very clear,

02:41 and it doesn't matter if you belong to the power in charge

02:49 or if you belong to the power that was.

02:53 Of course, if you have a problem with justice, justice will come for you.

02:58 Of course, we have a lot more to do, and that's why I told you, very frankly,

03:04 that no, we are not ready to join the European Union today.

03:07 (gentle music)