Albania is seeking to join the EU after beginning accession talks in July 2022. But does Tirana meet all of the European Union's criteria?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Albania is one of nine countries that want to join the EU, the world's biggest single
00:10 market. To be accepted, they have to protect the EU's democratic values. That means stable
00:16 political institutions, upholding the rule of law and respecting human and minority rights.
00:23 Candidate countries also need a functioning market economy. This requires macroeconomic
00:28 stability, high quality economic governance, a proper labour market and sufficient infrastructure.
00:35 Countries must be ready for the market forces and competitive pressures of being inside
00:39 the bloc. In the case of the Western Balkans, the EU has a special process designed to promote
00:45 political stability and regional cooperation. Even if a country has aligned with Europe,
00:51 accession is not automatic. To join the EU can take years and depends on the approval
00:56 of all member states and the European Parliament.
00:59 (upbeat music)