Silvio Gonzato

EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato met today with Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari. Albania has made good progress in the negotiations process but needs to continue efforts in fighting serious and organized crime, professionalising the state police, and developing a migration policy which is effective and safeguards vulnerable groups, in particular unaccompanied or separated children. Sustainable progress accompanied by tangible results is key for Albania’s EU accession. The EU will continue to support Albania achieve these standards.

Met with Ferit Hoxha, the new Minister for European and Foreign Affairs today to discuss Albania’s foreign policy and the next steps in the EU accession process. We are at a crucial stage where extra efforts are needed to adopt and implement EU-related reforms and communicate about them. The Minister assured me that the government is fully committed to continue aligning its foreign policy with that of the EU and that Albania’s membership of the EU is the top priority of the country.

Fighting organised crime and corruption, strengthening financial investigations and asset recovery, and enhancing operational cooperation between law enforcement institutions were at the centre of discussions during the steering committee of the EU4LawEnforcement project, held today in Tirana. The meeting brought together representatives of relevant Albanian institutions, the European Union and international partners to review the project’s progress and discuss the upcoming action plan. “The EU4LEA project has a broad mandate in reinforcing Albania capacities in combatting organised crime. With its support, we expect from Albania the finalisation of National Strategy against Organised Crime and the operationalisation of the Asset Recovery Office. The functioning of Asset Recovery Office is pivotal for successful financial investigations. It is a cornerstone of our shared vision to eradicate organised crime by attacking the economic and financial interests of the criminal networks,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato in his remarks.

For International Women's Day, Albanian institutions, diplomatic corps, and civil society groups met up to talk about how to guarantee better access to justice for women. In Albania, there are still critical shortcomings in how laws are implemented, especially when it comes to preventing and responding to violence against women. “We are witnessing a worrying backlash against gender equality globally, including in Albania. Physical and verbal violence against women remains a problem which is increasingly amplified in the online world. Too many women still face discrimination at work, at home, or in the public sphere. We need to counter these developments. In this respect Albania has adopted two important laws, the Law on Gender Equality and the Law on the Prevention of and Protection of Women against Violence and Domestic Violence. These are significant achievements, but the real test now lies in their effective implementation,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato in his remarks.

Thank you Grand Mufti, Bujar Spahiu for meeting me during the holy month of Ramadan. I’m grateful for the support you lend to Albania’s EU integration process and the important role that the Muslim community plays in preserving interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence between religions. The EU promotes and protects freedom of religion or belief for all individuals as this is part and parcel of our commitment to human rights and human dignity, values that are also reflected in Albania’s longstanding tradition of religious coexistence.

Last week I met MPs Agron Shehaj and Erald Kapri of Partia Mundësia. We discussed the need to strengthen democratic processes and advance electoral reform in Albania. We also discussed how Albania’s accession to the EU can help enhance the transparency, inclusivity, and integrity of its democratic institutions. Dialogue, respect for the rule of law, and meaningful participation of all political actors are crucial in shaping reforms that respond to citizens’ aspirations. We need to pursue Albania’s reform agenda. I reccommended in particular continued engagement among political parties to deliver on key electoral reform priorities. A healthy democracy depends on political plurality and a level playing field for all.

Credible electoral processes, in line with international standards, remain a key priority in Albania’s EU accession path. Yesterday I met the two co-chairs of the parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee on Electoral Reform Damian Gjiknuri and Oerd Bylykbashi to discuss the work of the committee in the coming weeks. I underlined the importance of the electoral reform in order to enhance transparency in political party financing, ensure the independence of electoral administration, and prevent misuse of state resources. A broad electoral reform of electoral rules, enacting also OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, is essential to guarantee public trust and to safeguard the integrity of future elections.

Today first and foremost we should pay tribute to the Ukrainian people, who every single day show incredible resilience and strength despite Russia’s brutal aggression. After four years of war, 2026 should be the year in which the aggression on Ukraine comes to an end. We want peace in Ukraine, and we want this peace to last. No peace arrangement can be credible or sustainable without Ukraine, and no settlement affecting European security can succeed without the full engagement of Europe. Slava Ukraini!

Constructive meeting today with the co-chairs Arbjan Mazniku and Luçiano Boçi of the Ad-Hoc Territorial & Administrative Reform Committee at the Albanian Parliament. 🇪🇺🇦🇱 EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato underlined the importance of an inclusive and fully transparent reform, built on solid data and broad-based consensus. The speed of reforms cannot come at the expense of quality and increased efficiency cannot come at the expense of local democracy. At the same time, it is important to match functions with adequate funding, so that local authorities can have real autonomy in decision-making, backed by the necessary capacities. It remains essential to ensure the reform delivers improved services for citizens and is aligned with European standards.

Albania stands out for the peaceful way in which different religions live side by side, a value that is also fundamental to the European Union. I discussed with Baba Mondi in his capacity as the Head of the Bektashi Order and the current Head of the Inter-Faith Council, ways in which we can work together to strengthen tolerance, solidarity, human rights protection and non-discrimination and at the same time contribute to Albania’s path towards joining the European Union.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato speaks about Albania’s EU integration path, the importance of the fight against corruption and organised crime, and respect for the rule of law. Read here the full transcripit of the interview: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/al…

By fostering open and continuous dialogue with society justice institutions increase public trust in their work At the roundtable organised by @CSDGALBANIA and the 🇳🇱 Embassy, heads of justice institutions, civil society, experts and international partners discussed how to improve the management of the judicial system in line with the principles of the justice reform. EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato emphasised that the governing bodies of the judiciary need to take greater responsibility for the efficiency of the justice system and better coordinate action amongst themselves. Only thus will citizens see the benefits for the 2016 justice reform.

I am proud of this partnership and resolute, together with my colleagues, to do my best to accompany Albania in this transformative process. 🔗 My full remarks: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/al… 2/2

Europe is, first of all, a choice of values: human dignity, freedom, the rule of law, democracy, equality, non discrimination, and human rights. Those values don’t stay on paper — they shape how we care for each other, especially when the world feels more uncertain. That’s why multilateralism matters: no country, regardless of its size or power, can tackle today’s complex challenges alone. Albania has made considerable progress towards the goal of EU accession but for this to be sustained we need consistency, resoluteness, and real political commitment to tackle challenges like organised crime and corruption and to turn ambitions into real benefits for the Albanian people. 1/2

As of today, if you’re in Kruja and strolling through the Old Bazaar or the Krujë Castle, make sure to connect to the WiFi4WB network and browse for free 😊. The WiFi4WB initiative was officially launched today in Albania, marking the start of the nationwide rollout of free public Wi-Fi hotspots across 61 municipalities. “WiFi4WB is a simple idea with a powerful impact: free internet across 61 municipalities in Albania, opening access to digital services, information, learning, and communication for everyone. This project is not only about connectivity; it is about empowering communities, supporting local development, and bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU Digital Single Market,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato. 1/2

Across Albania 🇦🇱, EU 🇪🇺 support is delivered side by side with Member States, international organisations and civil society organisations, who help us turn commitments into tangible results for the Albanian people. 1/2

Support to those in need was at the centre of today’s event, focusing on how we can improve the lives of people and families across Albania. The discussions highlighted the key role of municipalities in delivering social services to citizens, especially those in vulnerable situations. Improving social care is part of the reforms which Albania has to adopt to become a member of the European Union, which is why the EU, working with UNICEF, is providing financial support. “Albania is one of the countries of the Western Balkans in which we invest most to support social protection, with almost €100 million. But numbers alone do not change lives. Our work on the ground does giving families access to care, therapy, and training, through better social services. EU accession is not only about the economy. It is about building a society that is inclusive, fair and resilient,” EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato.

Parliament has a key role in Albania’s EU journey. Today, I met with Milva Ekonomi, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance, to discuss how the Committee can contribute by adopting EU-related legislation and monitoring its implementation. We also touched on the importance of a transparent and merit-based selection process for the vacant positions on the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Albania, which is essential to safeguarding the Bank’s independence and public trust.

Today, together with Austria🇦🇹, we launched a new initiative to protect Albania’s🇦🇱 coastal areas. We are expanding our EU4Rivers🇪🇺 project, which will now also focus on how we can promote clean waters from river springs to the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. “Protecting the marine environment is not only about nature; it is an investment in our health and our economy. With the Law on the Marine Environment Protection Strategy, Albania has adopted very ambitious standards, in line with EU legislation. The real challenge now is implementation. Through EU4Rivers, we want to help Albania turn legislation into concrete results and that means cleaner waters, safer food, and sustainable jobs, so that we can have thriving coastal communities,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato in his remarks. #MarineStrategy #SaveRiversSaveSeas