In the course of his official visit to Berlin, Acting Minister Gent Cakaj, in the framework of the intensive communication with the Bundestag, had a number of meetings with German parliamentarians, and particularly, with representatives from the political groups and parliamentary committees dealing with matters relating to the European Union, enlargement, and the Western Balkans.

In concrete terms, Acting Minister Cakaj met Norbert Röttgen, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, and Katrin Staffler, Rapporteur on Albania in the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union, and Thomas Hacker from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and at the same time FDP Rapporteur on Albania, and Patrick Sensburg, Chairman of the Committee for the Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure in the Bundestag, and Manuel Sarrazin, Rapporteur on Albania, the representative from Alliance 90/The Greens in the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union in the German Bundestag.

Acting Minister Cakaj expressed maximum appreciation for Germany’s commitment, and its attention to Albania, with this being manifested by Bundestag’s increased focus, and the high number of visits by German parliamentarians to Albania.

Acting Minister Cakaj gave the representatives from the Bundestag a detailed overview of the progress made hitherto in the vetting process and justice reform, and of the results achieved in the fight against organised crime, and corruption, and of the close cooperation with the law-enforcement agencies of the partner countries.

Acting Minister Cakaj asked the representatives from the Bundestag to continue to provide support to Albania on its path towards its transformative process, in the framework of the start of the accession negotiations, based on merits and with respect to the reform process.

In the meeting with Norbert Röttgen, the latter reconfirmed his idea and belief that the EU is not complete without the Western Balkans, thus assuring support for the negotiations and encouragement of the process.

In the course of the meeting with Hacker, both speakers shared the opinion that the common European concept and interest signifies an integrated, stable, and safe region, and in this aspect, the perspective of integration into the EU is an excellent promotor to help overcome nationalisms and conflicts from the past across the Balkans.

Patrick Sensburg expressed appreciation for the progress of integration, and underlined the importance of promoting Albania’s achievements both among public officials in Germany, and the German citizens, so as to understand the important processes that are being carried on by Albania, and the effects of these processes on the other European Union countries.

In the meeting between Acting Minister Cakaj and Manuel Sarrazin, the latter stated that the European Commission and German politics must make a positive decision about Albania as soon as possible, so as to enable a clear and reliable European perspective as the only meaningful alternative for Albania.

Sarrazin, both an MP and Rapporteur on Albania, appreciated the exchange of concrete and detailed information about reforms carried out in Albania, and stated both his personal position, and that of the Greens, in favour of the start of accession negotiations for Albania.

In response to this positive and very encouraging spirit in the German Bundestag, Acting Minister Cakaj acknowledged Germany as a key partner, which has been and remains loyal to the political and economic developments across the Balkan region, and without whose support integration would not have been possible for any of the countries in our regions.

Acting Minister Cakaj reconfirmed to all the representatives from the Bundestag the determination of the Government of Albania to continue to consolidate the key reforms and the preparations for the start of negotiations with the European Union at the required pace.