Mr. Zef Mazi, Albania’s Chief Negotiator for accession negotiations with the EU, paid an official visit to the Kingdom of The Netherlands on 30 September to 1 October, 2020. During his visit, Chief Negotiator, Mr. Mazi, met with Ms. Anita van den Ende, Director General for European Cooperation, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.

He also held meetings with MPs, representatives of different political parties of the Dutch parliament, as well as with leading academics and researchers of the most influential think tanks in Dutch political circles, the government, media and public opinion.

Chief Negotiator Mazi exchanged views and informed his Dutch interlocutors on Albania’s progress and concrete achievements since the Council decision of March 2020 that opened Albania’s accession negotiations with the EU. He underlined the resolve of the Albanian Government to continue incessantly the result-oriented reforms in order to convene the first Intergovernmental Conference, within the German Presidency of the European Council.

Based on concrete results and the fulfillment of the EU requirements, Mr. Mazi asked for the Dutch support in the Council in finalizing Albania’s negotiating framework and in convening the first Intergovernmental Conference immediately thereafter.

Chief Negotiator Mazi emphasized that the Euro-Atlantic course for Albania remains unchanged, noting that the main objective of EU accession is a strategic, political and priority decision that enjoys the broad support of the entire spectrum of the country in this regard.

Both sides discussed the importance of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans countries from a geostrategic, political, economic, moral and “strict and fair” approach, thus ensuring the credibility and predictability of the enlargement process.