Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier encouraged Albania to make further progress in the reform process leading to EU membership.

He knows that Albania's path to the European Union will remain challenging, he said in a speech to the parliament in Tirana. "And I'm asking you today: continue to work on combating abuses where they still exist, continue to work on reducing corruption and organized crime, continue with judicial reform." Steinmeier promised Germany's continued support.

He emphasized that the Western Balkans state is making its way into the EU under difficult conditions. The rise in energy prices also hit Albania hard. The country had previously had to cope with the 2019 earthquake and the Covid pandemic. It is all the more remarkable how persistently Albania continues to make efforts to join the EU.

"And I don't see any doubts about Albania's clear EU orientation and its firm anchoring in NATO," said Steinmeier. Even if EU membership is still pending, "Albania has long since proven itself internationally as a mature democracy."

Steinmeier had arrived in the capital Tirana in the morning. After being greeted with military honors, he held talks with President Bajram Begaj. In a press conference, he then called Germany an "irreplaceable partner" and praised the "excellent cooperation".