Sofia Moreira de Sousa

🔴 Live now: EU Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa and Prime Minister Edi Rama at a joint press conference to present the European Commission’s 2026 Enlargement Report on Albania. 🇪🇺🇦🇱 🔗 Watch it here: facebook.com/share/v/19y4gDh…

Albania continues to make progress towards EU membership. 🇦🇱🇪🇺 The European Commission’s 2026 Report highlights achievements and sets out reform priorities for the way forward. 🔗 Read the full report on Albania: lnkd.in/gW_aB-zq

We are building a larger, stronger 🇪🇺! Today, the European Commission adopted the 2026 Enlargement Package, assessing partners’ progress and setting reform priorities for the year ahead. Sustained reform delivers tangible progress towards the EU, as shown by 🇲🇪🇦🇱🇲🇩🇺🇦, which have opened clusters and provisionally closed chapters at an unprecedented pace. We are now presenting indicative roadmaps for these four most-advanced negotiating countries, setting out concrete milestones for the year ahead. Read the press release: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/a…

Connectivity in the Western Balkans is vital for its future in the EU, while also enhancing security and resilience in the region. At the 12th edition of the Tirana Connectivity Forum, organised by the Cooperation and Development Institute, we touched base on the increased cooperation among the Western Balkan countries and their commitments to implementing the national reform agendas under the framework of the new Growth Plan🇪🇺. Key takeaway: Albania and the region are shifting from a preparatory phase to one of delivery. 1/2

New magistrate candidates at the School of Magistrates in Tirana today began their new academic year. EU Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa addressed them, stressing the importance of the rule of law for Albania’s path towards EU membership and the important role they will play in the future of the country’s justice system. “Your integrity and independence will be among the most important contributions you can make to the people you will serve. The justice system still needs to consolidate its efforts to improve judicial efficiency, maintain judicial independence and strengthen accountability. Without progress in the rule of law, the EU accession process cannot move forward. The EU is here to stand by you to achieve this goal”, said EU Ambassador Moreira de Sousa.

Bylis is a site of great historical and cultural value for Albania, and the EU is proud to support its restoration. Today, together with the Ministry of Culture and local authorities, we marked the start of civil and conservation works at Bylis–Klos Archaeological Park. This investment will help protect archaeological heritage and support local economic development. 1/2

The 22nd meeting of the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee took place today in Tirana. “Congratulations to Albania on its steady progress towards EU integration, including the provisional closure in July of its first three negotiating chapters. This is an important step that makes EU membership a more tangible prospect, while also marking a more demanding phase that will require continued reforms and strong parliamentary oversight. And the SAPC has a specific contribution to make in this regard as it brings together the Albanian and European Parliaments to exchange views, share experience, and support the Albanian Assembly. The EU remains fully committed to supporting Albania in this process,” said EU Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa in her remarks.

#TeamEurope supporting Albania on its path to the EU. Yesterday, the new EU Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa chaired her first meeting with EU Member States’  Ambassadors to Albania. The EU Ambassador outlined her vision for supporting Albania in its reform efforts at this crucial stage of the negotiation process. The participants also discussed the challenges ahead, including the implementation of reforms and consolidating the achievements of the 2016 justice reform. 1/2

Congratulations to the new graduates of the Albanian School of Magistrates on reaching this important milestone in their professional development. At today’s graduation ceremony, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato highlighted the important role these new magistrates will play in strengthening the rule of law and advancing justice reform in Albania. 1/2

With support from the European Union, journalists took part in the second phase of “Reporting Effectively on the EU Integration Process”, with sessions by representatives of the EU Delegation to Albania, the European Parliament, the College of Europe and the EUIS Project. The training focused on access to reliable EU information, practical reporting angles on Albania’s accession process, and the role of journalists in helping citizens better understand the reforms and changes linked to the country’s path towards the EU. “Access to verified, impartial and reliable information is essential for democratic societies and for helping citizens understand Albania’s EU accession process. This applies not only to Albania, but to all our societies. Journalists’ work is vital, and the media should be seen as one of the pillars of democratic societies today,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato.

Today is a notable milestone in Albania’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law. The closing ceremony of the vetting process in judicial institutions marks nine years of determined efforts to strengthen integrity in the Albanian judiciary. But reform does not end here. EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato and @EU_Justice Deputy Director-General Irena Moozová recognised the progress achieved and pointed to the work that still lies ahead on Albania’s EU path. What comes next is an even harder test: making these achievements last. “The standards established through vetting must endure,” Ambassador Gonzato said, paying tribute to the Independent Qualification Commission, the Special Appeal Chamber and the EU-funded International Monitoring Operation. He called on Albania’s permanent judicial institutions to embed integrity, accountability and professionalism in the daily work of justice. 1/2

EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato joined UNHCR Albania, Albanian Ministry of Internal Affairs and partners in Tirana to mark 75 years of the 1951 Refugee Convention — a promise to protect those forced to flee persecution, violence and conflict. 1/2

After the earthquake of 26 November 2019, many communities were faced with the challenge of repairing the damage but also restoring normal life after the brutal shock. For thousands of children, teachers and families, that also meant the possibility to return to school in safe conditions. EU4Schools was the European Union’s 🇪🇺 response to this need: a €75 million project to rebuild and rehabilitate 63 educational facilities in the 11 municipalities most affected by the earthquake. This was the EU’s largest investment programme in Albania’s 🇦🇱 education sector. Built with seismic resilience, accessibility for all and energy-efficiency standards, these schools now offer safer, modern and inclusive learning spaces for more than 25,000 students, teachers and children. 1/2

Building a resilient society starts by catering for the most vulnerable. Today, we presented the findings of “Seniors in the Digital Age”, a study developed under the EU-funded project “The Golden Generation Facing Disinformation” implemented by @Faktoje_Albania. The study investigates how older adults in Albania consume information online, the challenges they face from #disinformation, and the growing need for digital and #MediaLiteracy skills. Through workshops, research and awareness-raising activities, the project engaged directly with hundreds of senior citizens to better understand their experiences and strengthen their resilience against online manipulation. 1/2

Safe food is fundamental to public health and consumer trust. On World Food Safety Day, the European Union, together with the Germany and Albania, launched the EU4Food Safety project. Implemented by GIZ, with a budget of EUR 13.5 million, the project will support Albania in aligning its food safety systems with EU standards. 1/2

We are proud to have supported 22 journalists and media professionals from across Albania to transform ideas into concrete projects. With their short movies, they have given voice to the most vulnerable people in the Albanian society. Kudos to Albanian Women in Audiovisual and SCiDEV for supporting them in every step of the production and strengthening independent voices. 1/2

A more performing School of Magistrates means a stronger justice system and a faster path toward European integration. Over the past two years, the Albanian School of Magistrates has benefited from a Twinning project supported by the European Union with experts from France, Italy, and the Netherlands. The initiative helped improve the quality of both initial and continuous training for judges and prosecutors, while also strengthening the system for entry examinations. 1/2

The fight against corruption and organised crime requires more than successful prosecutions, it requires lasting systemic change. Today, representatives of justice institutions, state authorities, civil society, and international partners discussed the performance of Albania’s specialised anti-corruption and anti-organised crime institutions, following a report on this topic presented by the Centre for the Study of Democracy and Governance. “Albania’s justice reform is delivering results in fighting corruption and organized crime, but this fight must be sustainable and irreversible. The path forward requires systematic and proactive financial investigations, swift asset confiscations, stronger digital evidence capabilities, protection of witnesses and whistleblowers, and a whole-of-society commitment to accountability,” said EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato.