Albania’s rapporteur in the European Parliament, Isabel Santos said during a press conference concluding her visit to Tirana, that our country is ready to start accession negotiations with the EU.

“In the European Parliament, we have been very clear when we said that Albania is ready for negotiations. Even the European Commission has admitted that Albania is ready for the first roundtable of negotiations. Albania has fulfilled all conditions for the first IGC,” – said Santos.

Santo also said that she had received a confirmation from the ruling party in our country that they would back away from their so-called ‘anti-slandering’ legal initiative.

In regards to the vetting bodies’ term extension, Santos said that ‘it is important that the vetting process ends with the same rules’.

When asked by Euronews Albania journalist, Ardit Hoxha, about the Open Balkan initiative, Santos was firm in her reply.

“Open Balkan is an initiative that has nothing to do with the EU. I am focused on the issue of Albania’s integration into the EU,” – concluded Santos.

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