Albania nears EU membership as Kosovo faces political uncertainty

Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at a summit in Tirana, said that Albania and Montenegro are close to joining the European Union and called for a faster, merit‑based enlargement process. She noted the June 5 EU‑Balkans summit and a June 22 meeting on Moldova as opportunities to accelerate accession, citing a non‑paper from Germany and France that urges the EU Commission to propose gradual integration benefits for candidate countries.

In Kosovo, political analysts warn that the upcoming elections could concentrate power in a single leader or deepen institutional instability, jeopardising the country's EU integration path. Observers cite the risk of a model similar to Albania or Serbia, where one party dominates, and note that recent elections have left a fragmented parliament and no clear presidential outcome, prompting calls for broader compromise and democratic balance.