Strasbourg – The European Parliament will soon establish a new office in Albania to strengthen relations with the Western Balkans. As announced during the March plenary session in Strasbourg, the new antenna office in Tirana will serve as a “key contact point” between the EU institution and national parliaments, civil society, and local partners in the region.
In the context of heightened geopolitical tensions and renewed momentum behind EU enlargement, this new office reflects the broader strategy of “deepening engagement with candidate countries,” stated the EU institution. The goal is to continue the “strong commitment” in supporting Western Balkans countries on their path towards EU membership, “while fostering stability, democracy, and closer ties between the European Union and its neighbours.”
The office in Tirana will promote the European Parliament’s positions and activities, “particularly in relation to EU accession” process, and will “support democracy and institutional reforms” in the region. It will also assist with the preparation and follow-up of official visits by MEPs, “reinforce cooperation” with other EU actors on the ground, and with international and civil society organisations.
The European Parliament across the world
Currently, the EU institution has three operational antenna offices around the world. In New York, for relations with the United Nations; in Jakarta, for relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; and in Addis Ababa, for relations with the African Union.
The decision to open two additional offices—besides Tirana for the Western Balkans, also in Chișinău (Moldova) for the Eastern Partnership—follows a previous decision by Parliament’s Bureau to establish offices in Kyiv, to strengthen relations with Ukraine, and in Panama City, to enhance ties with Latin America and the Caribbean.
