European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that Albania is advancing toward European Union membership at a “record pace” and reaffirmed Brussels’ support for Tirana to close accession negotiations by 2027.
“Albania is on the right track toward European Union integration,” von der Leyen said at a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana. “It is remarkable progress, at record speed. Your goal is to close the negotiations by 2027, and we will be with you every step of the way.”
Von der Leyen said the current geopolitical moment leaves no room for hesitation. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has reshaped our continent, and every European country must choose its place. Albania has made its choice very clear,” she said.
Speaking at the EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana, Rama said the region has the potential to become “Europe’s laboratory,” a space to test and build the continent’s future.
“This is not a coincidence but a new horizon – a place where European investments can find new opportunities, and ideas can become reality faster than anywhere else on the continent,” Rama said, urging that European values be turned into daily practice rather than slogans.
He added that the Western Balkans could serve as a space “where the EU and the region meet not to talk about the future, but to make the future a reality.”
Von der Leyen also announced plans to open artificial intelligence (AI) factories across the Western Balkans as part of the EU’s new digital initiative. “We are building a network of AI factories across Europe… We will open our AI factories in the Western Balkans, starting with two antenna factories in Serbia and North Macedonia, and then expanding throughout the region,” she said.
“The time to invest in the Western Balkans is now,” she added. “I am pleased to see so many of you ready to seize the business opportunities created by closer integration. We will sign 10 key business agreements today, and tomorrow you will discuss 24 potential investments. Local companies will grow thanks to European investments.”
Von der Leyen said the EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana could unlock more than 4 billion euros in new investments. “Together, these projects could bring a massive boost across the region,” she said. “What makes this forum special is not just the scale of investment but the launch of several essential economic initiatives. Our message to business is clear: if you choose the Western Balkans, you choose Europe.”
She also praised Albania’s rapid adoption of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system. “A year ago, I made a promise that citizens in the Western Balkans would start experiencing the EU in their daily lives. And it is happening,” von der Leyen said. “Just last week, transfers between Albania and the EU became instant and free of charge. This change is proof that the Western Balkans are on the path to becoming part of the European Union.”
“Thanks to the work of leaders like you, Edi, this transformation is happening here and now,” she added. “All countries that joined the EU saw economic growth. In Croatia, unemployment fell from 17% to 4% in a decade. The same will happen in the Western Balkans. Your economies are poised to grow rapidly. That’s why we adopted the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.”