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Please allow me to congratulate the Head of the Commission on Foreign Policy of the Albanian Parliament for the organisation of this event, which brings the honourable representatives of the region together in Tirana.

Honourable Speaker of the Parliament,

Honourable Minister Gjosha,

Honourable heads of Commission on Foreign Policy,

Honourable Ambassadors,

I am pleased to share with you today some of the main aspects of the Albanian perspective on the process of EU accession and its role in regional cooperation. This same perspective has been reflected in our priorities and activities conducted in the framework of the Albanian Chairmanship in Office of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

A few weeks ago, we hosted in Tirana the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SEECP participating states. Following the Albanian initiative, for the first time at ministerial level, we adopted a Joint Declaration against Terrorism. This was a unified response to a common threat in our countries, with special emphasis on the foreign fighter’s phenomenon. This was a powerful message sent at the most adequate time by members of the SEECP for their collective efforts in the fight against terrorism, as part of a broader international coalition.

Despite the positive developments in Eastern Europe and in particular the Western Balkans, peace and security should not be taken for granted.

To be more precise, our region still lacks vital elements in order for it to be considered as a true region. If we look at how the countries of our region respond to the challenges the European security architecture faces today, we will see that we are dealing with a region that is not yet strategically harmonized.

Be it politically, economically or with regards to security, the Western Balkans is not yet a harmonized region. As a significant illustration, Albania and Montenegro were the only countries in the region that aligned their views with that of the European Union towards the Ukraine crisis.

From a security standpoint, the region continues to be incomplete, with three countries aspiring to join NATO (Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia); Serbia having signed the IPAP the Alliance; and Kosovo yet to institutionalise its relationship with NATO.

From this standpoint, the Western Balkans unfortunately still remains a puzzle of frozen processes, with inherited protracted disputes, as well as unresolved bilateral issues. These naturally affect the daily lives of our citizens and are a threat for their future and for what has already been achieved.

Clarity of our common European project is an indispensable element for creating stability and consolidating regional cooperation. Attracting the attention and interest of EU member countries towards our region, not only will help us avoid deadlocks in the enlargement process, but will serve as an incentive to implement democratic reforms.

The interest of the EU and its member states constitutes the main instrument of motivation for our administration and civil society, as well as for maintaining public support during the accession process.

Consequently, the revitalisation of the enlargement process would offer significant encouragement to maintain focus on necessary reforms.

I have to be very clear on this point in order to avoid any illusions or misunderstandings. We do not seek any shortcuts in our path, but insist on a just course and assessment, including a geo-strategic approach to the region and the willingness of each of our countries to contribute to the stability and security of South-East Europe.

Honourable guests,

The process started in Berlin last year offers a new opportunity, by promoting the transformation and modernisation of the region, as well as through fuelling economic growth. This process has gained the necessary sustainability, thanks to the contribution of Austria, France and Italy.

Our governments are working together in order to identify common projects in the fields of infrastructure, transport, energy, and tourism, which will help the Western Balkans to be perceived as a region, in political and economic terms.

We hope that projects such as the Blue Corridor or IAP, trans-border projects, and the reduction of non-tariff barriers to trade will intensify not only our economic ties, but will broaden and consolidate human ties between our peoples.

Youth cooperation is also of interest, because it gives new dimensions to the perspective of development of relations between our countries, by giving voice to the future.

Regional integration accelerates European integration. Albania’s tangible contribution in this regard is part and parcel of our dynamic policies with regards to important regional initiatives: The Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) and the Adriatic Charter (A5) last year, and this year the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the most important forum of political cooperation in this region of Europe.

Our Chairmanship in Office has concentrated its efforts in the concretisation of the messages conveyed during the Berlin Conference of Western Balkans states, as an achievement with positive effects for all the countries of South East Europe.

Beyond the implementation of basic activities for a consolidated forum, we want to expand the scope of our cooperation by organizing, until June 2015, a number of meetings in fields such as energy, agriculture, interior affairs and justice.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The parliamentary dimension of the regional cooperation in South East Europe, initiated almost 20 years ago, is today more structured and institutionalised, also thanks to the creation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the countries of South East Europe.

In May of this year Tirana will host the first meeting of this Assembly. I am convinced that, thanks to your contribution, this meeting will bring to life, in this platform as well, the principle of all-inclusiveness by accepting the participation of parliamentarians from Kosovo.

Albania, as a NATO member and EU candidate country, considers that increasing the efficiency of regional cooperation and enhancing the reliability of Euro – Atlantic processes is a duty.

We are aware that current threats, which our societies and countries face daily, are of internal and external nature. This is why our efforts to face these threats must be coordinated and all inclusive.

The moto of the Albanian SEECP Chairmanship in Office is: Regional ownership, solidarity and all-inclusiveness. Our parliaments and parliamentarians have a key and unreplaceable role when it comes to implementing this moto.

Thank you.