Slovenian, Hungarian Experience For Albania’s EU Integration Efforts

TIRANA, May 29 – Albania learnt Thursday how Slovenia and Hungary had made their step forward to get integrated into the European Union in a conference held in the capital Tirana.
The Albanian Institute for International Studies and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation organized the conference titled “The State of the European Union and the Integration Perspectives of Albania” conceived as a forum for Albania’s European integration perspectives taking into consideration its internal developments and also the situation in the European Union.
Keynote speakers included representatives of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and AIIS, the Albanian Minister of Integration, professors and researchers from Budapest and Ljubljana, including well-known politicians, analysts, researchers and representatives of the international community and businesses associations.
Dr. Alfred Diebold of FES in Tirana, Dr. Michael Ehrke from FES Budapest, and Dr. Albert Rakipi of the AIIS stressed the importance of debate and the exchange of experiences in the integration stage Albania finds itself at the moment.
Albanian Minister of Integration Majlinda Bregu mentioned the achievements made in the integration process, as noted by EU institutions. She also spoke about the importance of such events while the country is considering the possibility of applying for the candidacy status this year.
Prof. Atilla Agh from Cornivus University in Budapest talked about the EU scenarios for Western Balkans, highlighting the fact that the EU has made it clear that Western Balkans remains its next enlargement priority. He also discussed possible scenarios and choices between the regional approach and the individual performance-based approach of enlargement. The professor also stressed the need to develop specific strategy plans of approximation and integration that are meant to benefit the country rather than just meet EU conditionality.
Janja Petkovsek from the Slovenian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Andrej Kumar from the University of Ljubljana talked on the economic perspective of the integration analyzing the workings of the EU common internal market and its developments, as well as the impact of EU membership on the Slovenian economy. Both highlighted the need to pay attention to the quality of growth in terms of structure and sustainability, as well as the need to prepare domestic companies for membership through policy encouragement and the use of subsidies.
Tomas Szemler from the Institute of World Economics in Budapest presented the findings of a recent research study on the EU budget review and the perceptions for future budgeting policies, while also noting that EU assistance to the Western Balkans is relatively low taking into consideration the required development of the region and compared to the assistance offered to Central European countries.
The event concluded with discussions on Albania’s EU perspectives, the quality of development in the country and free movement. Participants mentioned the need to keep under control illegal immigration like dealing with strong interest groups that are against integration, and the openness and transparency it requires. They also broadly debated over the level and quality of growth and development as the major challenges and priority areas for the country in its integration path.