"For the first time, the report recognizes the historicalpresence and property rights of the Greek National Minority."
- EPP MEP Fredis Beleris
Yesterday, the European Parliament's plenary approved the European Commission's 2025 report on Albania. It passed by a large majority with 483 votes in favour, 103 against, and 70 abstentions. MEPs welcomed Albania’s swift progress in recent years. However, they called on authorities to fully implement all adopted legislation.
Despite this progress, Parliament says Albania still faces several challenges. These include overcoming internal political polarization and improving the country’s political culture. The country must also strengthen the rule of law and consolidate anti-corruption reforms. The report noted Albania’s ambition to close membership negotiations by the end of 2027. Still, it warned that the quality of reforms will determine the final accession timetable. This report included key amendments submitted by MEP Fredis Beleris (ND / EPP). He worked in cooperation with fellow EPP MEPs Vangelis Meimarakis and Andrey Kovachev.
These amendments highlight the main problems Albania faces with the rule of law, human rights, and minority protections. For the first time in the history of this report, there is a clear, official mention of the indigenous Greek National Minority. The European Parliament now officially recognizes both their historical presence and their property rights in Albania.
Furthermore, the report:
1) Calls on Albania to achieve decisive progress on the initial registration of properties and fair, mutually accepted compensation. It asks to improve the transparency of the state land registry and the quality of property data. It also demands that Albania ensure respect for the right to a fair trial and the right to effective legal protection in cases where property is taken or confiscated.
2) Reminds authorities that the justice system still faces political pressures and threats. These issues bring a serious risk of undermining the independence of the courts.
3) States that parliamentary immunity is part of Albania's constitutional framework, designed to ensure that democratic institutions work properly. It stresses that any related decisions must be made strictly according to constitutional rules and established legal steps, without political interference and without unnecessary delay.
4) Calls for increased transparency, conflict-of-interest checks, integrity risk assessments, and targeted preventative measures in high-risk areas. This applies especially to public procurement, government contracts, licensing, inspections, construction, and spatial planning.
5) Expresses concern over the serious irregularities found by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) during the rollout of the EU's Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development program (IPARD II) in Albania.
6) Underlines how important it is to ensure full transparency, accountability, and effective control mechanisms when using EU financial help. This is needed to protect the EU's financial interests and to maintain the trust of citizens.
During his speech in the plenary, Beleris criticized Commissioner Marta Kos for her lack of boldness in highlighting these issues, emphasizing that:
"The report we are discussing recognizes both Albania's desire to become a full member of the EU and the European Parliament's willingness to support it. Today, Albanian citizens are protesting the lack of democracy, the lack of prosperity, the violation of property rights, the manipulation of justice, the government's embrace of organized crime, and ultimately, the abandonment of the country by its youth. Naturally, these chronic problems disproportionately burden minorities, and especially the Greek minority, which is the largest.
Silencing reality, sugarcoating the situation, and - in many cases - the alignment of Commissioner Kos with the Albanian Prime Minister is interpreted by a large part of Albanian society not as support for the Albanian people to realize their European dream, but as support for Rama. We must be clear. Yes to accession, with no discounts on the European acquis."
In a post on his Facebook page, Beleris further stated:
"With steady steps, we are bringing the violations of the rights of the Greek National Minority to the European forefront. Every petition, every resolution, and every institutional intervention matters. The work continues."
_____
FRBL; EUROPARL.
Despite this progress, Parliament says Albania still faces several challenges. These include overcoming internal political polarization and improving the country’s political culture. The country must also strengthen the rule of law and consolidate anti-corruption reforms. The report noted Albania’s ambition to close membership negotiations by the end of 2027. Still, it warned that the quality of reforms will determine the final accession timetable. This report included key amendments submitted by MEP Fredis Beleris (ND / EPP). He worked in cooperation with fellow EPP MEPs Vangelis Meimarakis and Andrey Kovachev.
These amendments highlight the main problems Albania faces with the rule of law, human rights, and minority protections. For the first time in the history of this report, there is a clear, official mention of the indigenous Greek National Minority. The European Parliament now officially recognizes both their historical presence and their property rights in Albania.
Furthermore, the report:
1) Calls on Albania to achieve decisive progress on the initial registration of properties and fair, mutually accepted compensation. It asks to improve the transparency of the state land registry and the quality of property data. It also demands that Albania ensure respect for the right to a fair trial and the right to effective legal protection in cases where property is taken or confiscated.
2) Reminds authorities that the justice system still faces political pressures and threats. These issues bring a serious risk of undermining the independence of the courts.
3) States that parliamentary immunity is part of Albania's constitutional framework, designed to ensure that democratic institutions work properly. It stresses that any related decisions must be made strictly according to constitutional rules and established legal steps, without political interference and without unnecessary delay.
4) Calls for increased transparency, conflict-of-interest checks, integrity risk assessments, and targeted preventative measures in high-risk areas. This applies especially to public procurement, government contracts, licensing, inspections, construction, and spatial planning.
5) Expresses concern over the serious irregularities found by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) during the rollout of the EU's Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development program (IPARD II) in Albania.
6) Underlines how important it is to ensure full transparency, accountability, and effective control mechanisms when using EU financial help. This is needed to protect the EU's financial interests and to maintain the trust of citizens.
During his speech in the plenary, Beleris criticized Commissioner Marta Kos for her lack of boldness in highlighting these issues, emphasizing that:
"The report we are discussing recognizes both Albania's desire to become a full member of the EU and the European Parliament's willingness to support it. Today, Albanian citizens are protesting the lack of democracy, the lack of prosperity, the violation of property rights, the manipulation of justice, the government's embrace of organized crime, and ultimately, the abandonment of the country by its youth. Naturally, these chronic problems disproportionately burden minorities, and especially the Greek minority, which is the largest.
Silencing reality, sugarcoating the situation, and - in many cases - the alignment of Commissioner Kos with the Albanian Prime Minister is interpreted by a large part of Albanian society not as support for the Albanian people to realize their European dream, but as support for Rama. We must be clear. Yes to accession, with no discounts on the European acquis."
In a post on his Facebook page, Beleris further stated:
"With steady steps, we are bringing the violations of the rights of the Greek National Minority to the European forefront. Every petition, every resolution, and every institutional intervention matters. The work continues."
_____
FRBL; EUROPARL.
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