Albania advances EU bid and NATO summit plans amid regional diplomatic moves

Albanian officials are intensifying diplomatic activity across the region. Former Kosovo and North Macedonian war commanders publicly warned against a planned mass Albanian protest in Tirana, reflecting internal political tensions. In a separate cross‑border effort, Tetovo’s mayor Bilall Kasami met Kukës mayor Albert Halilaj to discuss joint projects that could boost economic development along the Albania‑North Macedonia frontier.

Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha’s visit to Cyprus resulted in a joint statement praising Cyprus’s support for Albania’s EU accession and exploring a direct Tirana‑Nicosia air corridor, alongside broader cooperation in tourism, energy and technology. Former French President François Hollande, speaking in Tirana, reaffirmed France’s backing of Albania’s projected 2030 EU membership, stressing merit‑based progress and citing a Franco‑German initiative to accelerate Balkan integration.

In Kosovo, Agim Shahini, head of the Kosovo Business Alliance, met President Edi Rama and Tirana’s prefect to celebrate the prefecture’s centenary and to deepen economic ties between Kosovo and Albania, targeting new investment and job creation. Meanwhile, NATO’s preparation for a summit scheduled in Tirana faces uncertainty, as reports indicate Albania must meet a 2 % defense‑spending threshold to retain the 2027 host role, underscoring the country’s challenge to align with alliance commitments.