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EU-Western Balkans diplomatic relations

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2026-09-30 18:24 UTC → 2026-09-30 20:52 UTC · added ~~removed~~

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has commenced a three-day diplomatic tour of the Western Balkans, beginning in Tirana, Albania, on September 30. The itinerary, which runs through October 2, includes visits to Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, while excluding Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina due to upcoming elections. In Albania, von der Leyen is meeting with President Bajram Begaj and Prime ~~Prime~~ Minister Edi Rama to discuss the country’s path toward EU membership and the implementation of the Western Balkans Growth Plan. This 6 billion euro plan for the 2024–2027 period aims to accelerate economic convergence, with access to funds tied to specific reforms. Albania is slated to receive 922.1 million euros in grants and preferential loans, having already been allocated 212.8 million euros for infrastructure and reform progress through May 2026. While Albania has opened all 33 negotiation chapters and temporarily closed three—science and research, education and culture, and foreign relations—the EU emphasizes that the pace of accession depends on judicial and anti-corruption reforms. Von der Leyen has praised Albania’s progress toward EU standards, noting its leadership in the integration process. The Albanian government is aiming for full membership by the end of the decade, with a goal to conclude negotiations by 2027. In Kosovo, discussions with President Albulena Haxhiu and Prime Minister Albin Kurti will focus on gradual integration and regional growth. In Montenegro, officials expect support for the integration process, noting that positions for approximately ten negotiation chapters have been submitted. The tour will conclude in North Macedonia, where addressing the dispute with Bulgaria remains a priority to ensure “predictability for the integration process.”

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