Ursula von der Leyen Names Albania EU Accession Frontrunner

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Albania as a frontrunner in the European Union accession process during a visit to Tirana on September 30, 2026. She stated that the goal of joining the bloc is "in sight," noting that Albania closed its first three negotiating chapters in July and has completed over 80% of reform steps under the EU Growth Plan, which provided €213 million in funding.

Prime Minister Edi Rama reaffirmed Albania's commitment to closing remaining chapters and detailed the government's efforts to combat organized crime and corruption. Rama also briefed von der Leyen on a major investment project by Jared Kushner in southern Albania and announced a "Transparency Mirror" initiative to grant the public access to project documentation.

While praising the country's alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy, von der Leyen emphasized that accession remains merit-based. She noted that Albania must still implement further reforms regarding the electoral framework, environmental protection, and the justice system to progress toward full membership.