Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on EU accession talks and protests

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that the first three chapters of Albania’s EU accession negotiations will be closed at a 9th intergovernmental conference in Brussels on 14 July, dismissing opposition claims that talks were blocked. He linked the progress to the country’s “Rilindja 2.0” urban‑renewal programme, saying recent infrastructure investments should raise public expectations rather than lower them.

Rama also addressed recent protests over proposed tourism projects on the Sazan island and in the Vjosa‑Nartë area, stating that the government has not sold any land and that negotiations on the projects are still ongoing. He warned that social‑media algorithms amplify misinformation and can distort public perception of the protests, which he said have genuine local grievances.

Belgian MP Michel De Maegd echoed the protestors’ demands for greater transparency, environmental protection and rule‑of‑law safeguards, urging EU institutions to monitor the projects closely as part of Albania’s accession process. Rama added that Albanian authorities have sought assistance from Google to restore business ratings that were allegedly harmed by coordinated fake‑account attacks during the protests.