Topi visits European Union headquarters

TIRANA, Oct. 23 – Following his visit to NATO headquarters last week, President Bamir Topi turned his attention to the European Union with a visit he held at their offices Wednesday and Thursday.
NATO and EU integration have been set as the country’s main priorities while Tirana expects to receive a full membership invitation from NATO during next year’s Bucharest summit. However, EU membership seems farther away and following the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement last year the EU expects all its member countries to first ratify this agreement before moving on to Albania’s acceptance as a candidate.
Topi, accompanied by Ilir Meta of the Socialist Movement for Integration and also head of the parliamentary commission on European integration, discussed with the EU’s top officials Albania’s steps towards membership.
They are also to meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn.
“This is the second visit abroad by President Topi which, like the first one to NATO headquarters, focuses on Albania’s integration and is an expression of our country’s institutional will to further the road of reforms required for the integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures,” said a statement from Topi’s press office.