Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arta Dade, spoke on Euronews Albania about the Western Balkans Summit held in Tirana and the country’s perspective towards the EU.

She said that having the summit in Albania is something positive.

“Every ceremony where leaders get to meet together is a positive development, even more so when it comes after a long-time suspension due to the pandemic. The latest initiative, such as the Berlin Process, has advanced quite well, in my opinion. Other countries, apart from Germany, have also been involved”, she said.

Dade said that Albania should walk towards the European Union with its own powers, and in a dignifying and deserving way, in order to head towards the bloc without “dragging its feet”.

“I wish that all standards are fulfilled so that we go towards the EU with our own values, identity, and dignity, without dragging our feet along the way so that we earn even more respect”, said the former foreign affairs minister.

According to Dade, Albania should have played better its leadership role in the region, due to the fact that many ethnic Albanians live in neighboring countries.

“I think that the leadership role in the role has faded because Albania should have played the role not only because it has ethnic Albanians in four states in the region, but also due to the fact that we’ve entered the process a long time ago”, Dade said.

In her analysis, she mentions that the country is behind its neighbors, namely Serbia and Montenegro, as both have already passed important negotiating chapters, while Albania has not.

One of the factors, why she believes Albania is behind in the negotiation process, is the desertion of the opposition from the parliament, as according to her, institutions are not boycotted in Europe.

“The conflictual political climate, the desertion of the opposition from the parliament, abstaining from local elections, these were all developments that don’t occur in the EU. No one can accept to boycott institutions. It was a wrong step and it does no favor in progressing our European agenda”, concluded Dade.