H.E. Mr. Qirjako Qirko:

We wish to speed up the process. After 31 years, we are more or less knocking at the door. Sometimes we are listening from the other side and other times not. We need a speeded-up process. The western Balkans are not a problem. They are very much welcome for what they represent, not only geographically because, from all points of view, the western Balkans are part of Europe. We wish to become so as soon as possible. That is why the support of the committee is so important to us and why we appreciate it. We always say we are very much grateful for its unconditional support because we have not always got this. We have some recent examples such as the delay in the case of North Macedonia.

It is time to avoid any small interests and to see the future of the western Balkans because its prosperity and integration are also important for the security of the European Union. Albania is one of the few countries in the world that shares borders with other Albanians. In the north west, 10% of the population in Montenegro is Albanian, 95% of people are Albanian in Kosovo and, a little bit further down, 31% of people in North Macedonia are Albanian. However, what is important is that wherever they live, Albanians are very much focused on Euro-Atlantic integration of their own countries. We are not looking for a bigger Albania, as is sometimes mentioned, because we think the only way we can realise our dreams is to be a part of the European Union and avoid borders. Sometimes in the Balkans the borders and fences are not political ones. We are neighbours but we do not know each other because the politics have been like this.

I am very glad these kinds of negative perceptions of the past are now vanishing. I am very glad that in the past five years I have seen people with Serbian plates visiting my country on vacation. That is why co-operation, the opening of the borders and improvement of our economy is important. The history is there, but if we make our western Balkan economies complementary to each other, we will improve the lives of our people. If people have better lives, sometimes they forget about the negative past history. Our focus is on how to improve the lives of our people.

EU integration is the only way and the only objective we all have together. This is a good chance because it has never been like this. There are, of course, still problems such as relations between Kosovo and Serbia and some problems in Bosnia. However, the most important thing is that everywhere in the western Balkans, elected democratic governments are focusing on EU integration.