Albania could join the European Union by 2030 if it maintains the current pace of negotiations and reforms and EU member states continue to support enlargement, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said.
According to Report's European bureau, Kos made the remarks at a press conference in Luxembourg following an accession conference on Albania.
"If the momentum among the member states remains as positive as it is today, membership by 2030 is entirely possible," she said.
At the EU-Albania conference held on October 13, the sides provisionally closed Chapter 20 of the accession negotiations on Enterprise and Industrial Policy. This was the fourth cluster Albania has closed in recent months, with three others closed in July.
Kos noted that Albania is among the countries that have made the most significant progress in European integration this year and has set an ambitious goal of closing all negotiating chapters by the end of 2027. The European Commission supports this objective.
"To achieve this goal, Albania must continue delivering results, particularly in the fundamentals," she said.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Tirana expects to at least double the number of closed clusters with the support of Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU. However, he acknowledged that progress cannot be measured solely by the number of completed negotiating stages.
"Progress is measured primarily by the reforms implemented, the strengthening of institutions and the concrete results achieved," Rama said.
He also rejected concerns over corruption and transparency in the country, saying Albania was moving from a system dominated by corruption to one that fights it.
Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne, speaking on behalf of the presidency of the Council of the EU, said he expected additional negotiating chapters to be closed before Ireland's presidency ends in late December.
Albania began negotiations to join the EU in 2022. To become a member, a candidate country must complete the entire negotiating process and secure the approval of EU member states for the subsequent stages.