Fjoralba Caka’s Post

A milestone for Albania on its EU Accession path. Today, Albania officially opened negotiations on Cluster 1: Fundamentals, a key achievement for EU Membership—21 years after the Thessaloniki Summit. This cluster, with five chapters and three criteria, is the most crucial, as it shapes the pace and success of the entire accession process. Albania targets 2030 for full membership, but achieving this goal requires more than ambition. It demands mutual commitment. With a clear objective, Albania has already established its strategic framework, roadmaps, and implementing measures, all set to be completed by the end of this decade. It is essential that the process remains merit-based, ensuring that as Albania fulfills its commitments and reforms, progress is equally recognized and rewarded by the EU. Only through shared determination we can transform the Thessaloniki vision from a promise into reality. https://lnkd.in/dxTA3gQU

The The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) issued a comprehensive assessment of the EU's enlargement and the tasks to be undertaken by the next European Commission. The Institute's Centre for Eastern European Studies recommends the following: - Now is the time to formulate concrete proposals for the next Commission to break through the current deadlock over real prospects for the EU’s further enlargement. Current EU Council discourse about favouring ‘gradual integration’ is not a credible advance; - The EU and member states adopt a fully operational Staged Accession methodology, with possible variants for the key veto power aspect of the penultimate Stage (as detailed above); - There is a need for further relatively technical but politically significant improvements to the processing of chapters and clusters of the present methodology and Growth Plan for the #WesternBalkans; - The next Commission could begin with a political signal that, together with these steps, well prepared candidate states should be able to accede during its mandate - precisely the opposite of what Jean-Claude Juncker proposed exactly ten years ago. As of today Montenegro is the best placed. According to Michael Emerson (CEPS), these steps could restore the credibility of the EU’s political will to advance a new round of enlargement, and thus also stimulate the reform efforts of the candidates. The full analysis is available here: https://lnkd.in/d5NZUhMj

At the OECD Global Forum for Reinforcing Democracy and Building Trust, Ingrid Schulerud shared a powerful message that resonated deeply: “Democracy is under attack, and we urgently need to act by involving all stakeholders. Yet, this urgency isn’t being captured by our society or our leaders. A lot has happened, but we are lagging behind, moving reactively after the events unfold. We are on the defensive, and we are not where we need to be.” This call to action is a crucial reminder that our efforts must shift from a reactive stance to a proactive one. Now is the time for leaders, civil society, and all democratic actors to collaborate and work with renewed urgency. The challenges ahead require anticipation, innovation, and unwavering commitment. By working together, we can rise to the occasion and reinforce the pillars of democracy. Thank you Simona Constantinescu Krzysztof Izdebski Ionut Sibian Georgi Stoytchev

🇪🇺 How can we ensure that all member states respect the rule of law and the common values of the European Union? This is one of the key topics that EU ministers discuss during today’s General Affairs Council. 👉🏽 This meeting also marks the last Council meeting under the 🇧🇪 Belgian Presidency, chaired by Hadja Lahbib. 1/4 Today, Hungary has the opportunity to update the Council on concerns raised by the European Parliament in 2018 and other recent developments. This 7th hearing is part of the Article 7 (1) procedure concerning the values of the Union in Hungary. During a discussion, the European Commission also provides an assessment report on the situation and other member states have the occasion to ask questions. 2/4 The Council holds an orientation debate on the Directive establishing harmonized requirements on transparency of interest representation carries out on behalf of third countries. This directive is part of a broader defense of democracy package. 3/4 Ministers prepare the European Council meeting taking place later this week and discuss draft conclusions. During this EU summit, EU leaders will discuss several key topics such as: Ukraine, Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness and economy, the next institutional cycle, etc. 4/4 In the margins of the General Affairs Council, the Belgian presidency organises three intergovernmental conferences with #Ukraine, #Moldova and #Montenegro. This is a historic moment for both Ukraine and Moldova, as well as for Europe, as these conferences mark the official launch of their accession talks with the EU. The conference with Montenegro is an occasion to take stock of the progress it has made regarding the rule of law chapters. #EU2024BE #GAC

The EP adopted a resolution proposing to consider the possibility of Armenia's application for EU membership and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. During the European Parliament session, a resolution calling for enhanced EU-Armenia relations and urging for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia was presented for voting. The draft resolution, published by the European Parliament, was authored by the European People's Party group and was presented as a collaborative effort involving all parliamentary groups. In the resolution draft, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) suggest exploring the option of granting Armenia candidate status for EU membership. "Should Armenia be interested in applying for candidate status and continuing on its path of sustained reforms consolidating its democracy, this could set the stage for a transformative phase in EU-Armenia relations," reads the draft joint resolution of the members of the EU's legislative body. The proposed resolution also refers to the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh in September 2023. "On September 19, 2023, after a nine-month illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, disregarding its commitments included in the November 2020 ceasefire agreement and International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Azerbaijan launched an offensive on the remaining parts of the Nagorno-Karabakh not already under its control; whereas more than 100 000 Armenians had to flee the territory, resulting in Nagorno-Karabakh being almost entirely deprived of its Armenian population, who had been living there for centuries," the draft reads. The resolution of the European Parliament also mentions the continuous threats of Azerbaijan against the territorial integrity of Armenia and highlights the existence of the occupied territories of Armenia. "The Azerbaijani army continues to occupy approximately 170 square kilometers of the sovereign territory of Armenia," says the resolution. In their proposed resolution, the MEPs urge the executive bodies of the European Union, including the Commission and the Council, to actively support Armenia in enhancing cooperation with the European Union.

We have written and sent an official open letter to the caretaker Prime Minister @Dimitar Glavchev, in which we demand the suspension of all bilateral agreements between Bulgaria and Israel, especially the economic ones, as well as those in the field of military cooperation and technology. The advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is clear and unambiguous. Israel's continued presence and settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. The Court ruled that Israel must immediately end this illegal occupation, immediately cease all settlement activities, and pay compensation for the damage caused to individuals and entities in the territories. In light of this authoritative court decision Bulgaria, as a responsible member of the international community, should take the necessary principled action. In particular, we call on the Bulgarian government: ◾Immediately suspend the implementation of all bilateral agreements between Bulgaria and Israel, especially economic agreements, as well as those in the field of military cooperation and dual-use technologies, including those related to the use of artificial intelligence. Such agreements risk contributing to the illegal occupation, a fact highlighted by the International Court of Justice, and thus contravene the obligation not to contribute to the maintenance of this state of affairs. ◾To ensure without delay that the State Agency for National Security and other competent authorities do not provide any information to the State of Israel on humanitarian protection and political asylum seekers from the region. The safety and security of these individuals must be of utmost importance, and sharing information could put them at serious risk. ◾To demand that steps be taken to suspend Israel's membership in the United Nations until Israel fully complies with international law and remedies the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This measure should be implemented in order to exert pressure and encourage compliance with the decisions of the International Court of Justice and international norms. We are confident that the Bulgarian government will consider this appeal seriously and act in accordance with the established universal principles of international law and justice.

24 Jun 06:20: UBS Repeated Overnight Key Article: EU-UKRAINE 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇺🇦🇪🇺👏🏻👏🏻: Ukraine will officially begin negotiations regarding its accession to the EU on June 25. The EU Council approved the negotiating framework for Ukraine 🇺🇦 and Moldova 🇲🇩 and confirmed that intergovernmental conferences to launch negotiations will be held on June 25 in Luxembourg 🇱🇺. President Zelenskyy 🇺🇦🦸🏻♂️🇺🇦 approved the composition of the Ukrainian 🇺🇦delegation that will participate in negotiations with the EU 🇪🇺 to reach an agreement regarding Ukraine's 🇺🇦 accession to the EU 🇪🇺. The delegation includes 35 people, among them the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, with his deputies; the Minister of Environmental Protection; deputy ministers of economy, finance, digital transformation, agricultural policy, and justice, the head of the Antimonopoly Committee, Ukraine's EU representative, and several others. The delegation will be headed by the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, commenting on the Council of the EU's decision, noted that this is "a great day for Ukraine, Moldova, and the EU." 🇺🇦🇲🇩🇪🇺👏🏻👏🏻😃: Original article repeated here, albeit the words are identical:

After many months of hard work, this long awaited report is finally out. It examines, from both a quantitative and qualitative angle, the efforts deployed by EU Delegations to listen to citizens worldwide. While there is still a lot of room for improvement, the results testify to the global efforts to make EU development policies and international partnerships more inclusive and rooted in local realities. By the EU Roadmap Facility implemented by NIRAS International Consulting You can download the report here:

The problem is we already have a negotiation framework. Yeah, right. As if these are the Ten Commandments that God handed to Moses on two stone tablets that read: “Negotiation Framework” and “Protocol for the Start of Negotiations.” As if Bujar Osmani carved something in stone, and it will stay that way for all eternity – amen. If needed, the Constitution can be changed a hundred more times, the country’s name can be changed, but the negotiation framework – absolutely not. Let’s stop fooling ourselves. The European Union, the way it is currently, hasn’t made a decision to admit the Western Balkans. It’s simple, they don’t want to bother with us. They despise us. In their eyes, we’re an inferior race. Just a bunch of Balkan people who deserve to be harassed at the border. It is what it is. That’s why, instead of focusing so much on the EU, let’s for once focus on ourselves. 

Ukraine's journey towards EU membership has seen significant progress recently. In June 2024, the EU officially opened accession negotiations with Ukraine. This decision came after the European Council's approval in December 2023, and the subsequent approval of the Negotiating Framework in June 2024.   On Wednesday, July 17, the newly elected European Parliament adopted the resolution "the need for the EU's continuous support for Ukraine" thus reaffirming the need for further European Union support for Ukraine both in repelling Russian aggression and in ensuring future EU membership.   The process of acquiring EU membership is a long one and requires joint efforts of all state authorities to work together to achieve this much desired goal for Ukraine. That is why the EU4Business: SME Policies and Institutions Support (SMEPIS) project, implemented by Ecorys in a consortium with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, BRDO and Civitta with the financial support of the European Union, organised a series of capacity building workshops for the representatives of different departments of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine to familiarize participants with the essential steps of preparation for and execution of the accession and negotiations process.   The following topics were covered by SMEPIS speakers: ✨General framework of the negotiation process - political aspects and advocacy efforts. ✨Introduction to the EU acquis - primary and secondary law of the EU, EU institutions and their role in legislative process, EUR-Lex guide. ✨European integration of Ukraine - Copenhagen criteria, Ukraine Facility as a support instrument, self screening and legislation screening, implementation of the EU acquis process. ✨International experience of the negotiation process on the way to the EU membership.   Over 80 participants attended each workshop, taking part in active discussions and asking questions after each session.   "Thanks to the topic of the negotiation process, it is now more clear to me how the process will go for Ukraine," shared one of the participants in the feedback form. "Thank you for the detailed information! The process of preparing forecast documents, the process of mutual exchange with EC representatives, and the influence of the European Commission on internal processes are also the topics that I'd like to learn more about during the next workshops," replied another participant.   The SMEPIS expert team continues to work on organising capacity building activities for the representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Digital Transformation, State Regulatory Service, EEPO and others to help improve capacity and resilience of Ukrainian institutions.