Albania welcomed European leaders on Friday for the first European Political Community (EPC) Summit held in the Western Balkans, bringing together heads of state and government to discuss security, competitiveness, and the continent’s shared future.
Some European prime ministers arrived in Tirana a day earlier, while others joined Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Friday for a full day of meetings and high-level discussions.
Leaders were received by Rama in front of the National Museum and then proceeded to the Opera House, before walking together to a specially constructed venue behind the Skanderbeg monument. The facade of the summit pavilion featured drawings by Albanian schoolchildren depicting their vision of Europe.
The summit opened with a plenary session focused on European security and a common vision for the future. Leaders then broke into three high-level roundtables on: European security and democratic resilience; economic competitiveness and mobility challenges; and youth empowerment.
The official programme began at 10:00 local time with the arrival of delegations and media statements. An opening ceremony followed at 11:00, along with the traditional family photo at 11:30.
The day included a first plenary session, an official lunch, thematic roundtables, and bilateral meetings among leaders. A concluding plenary session was held later in the afternoon.
The summit wrapped up with a joint press conference at 18:30 by Prime Minister Rama and his Danish counterpart, whose country will host the next EPC summit.
The event underscored Albania’s European integration efforts and its growing diplomatic role in regional and continental affairs amid heightened geopolitical challenges.