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Reuters: Small, aspiring Albania hosts giant European summit
2025-05-16 17:24:50 / AKTUALITET
European leaders land in Albania on Friday for a meeting that is sure to be dominated by the war in Ukraine, but the small Balkan countries hope that EU enlargement will also be a focus at the European Political Community Summit.
The event, attended by the leaders of France, Germany and Britain, comes as Ukraine and Russia are expected to hold their first peace talks since the early days of the conflict. Other topics will include security, democracy and migration.
But this is also a pivotal time for Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, with 2.4 million inhabitants, still struggling to free itself from the influence of decades of oppressive communist rule and join the European Union.
The country is bracing for Friday's influx. Tirana's small airport, which is being renovated as part of a growing tourism boom, said in an Instagram post that flights could be disrupted due to the increased air traffic.
Traffic restrictions across the capital are expected to add to congestion on the already congested ring road. Pedestrian streets in the centre, where the summit will take place in a large new conference tent, will also be restricted.
“When you see how much Albania has progressed and that it organizes such a meeting with EU and UK leaders, it is a pleasure to see it happening,” said Dritan Hoti, 46, who grew up in the last years of communism.
"Albania is moving in the right direction, despite all the problems it has faced."
Before joining the EU, Albania must shed its reputation as a money laundering hub for arms and drug trafficking, where some live in luxury and many others in poverty.
Political transparency is also important, following a controversial election that Prime Minister Edi Rama officially won convincingly, but which is being investigated by local prosecutors and has been described as manipulated by the opposition.
Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha has called for a peaceful protest during Friday's summit.
Experts say Rama's agreement to accept immigrants from Italy, increase renewable energy production and open the country to foreign investment - including that of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner - have bolstered Albania's chances of joining the EU.
“The EU is looking for a success story,” said Andi Hoxhaj, a Balkans expert at King’s College London. “Albania and Montenegro could have a window of opportunity, as they are both very small countries and will not have much influence or pressure on the EU.”
Much depends on how much the Balkan countries want membership. Hoxhaj said the EU has lost some of its credibility in the region, partly because it has made membership too difficult.
Kosovo and Serbia also have EU aspirations, although a long-standing conflict between them has slowed progress.
Kosovo is under EU sanctions over Prime Minister Albin Kurti's role in stoking ethnic tensions in its north, which borders Serbia. Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended World War II victory commemorations in Moscow this week, despite objections from Brussels./ Reuters
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