TIRANA, November 19 – “In the Western Balkans and in general, I would actually ask Albania to help us. You are focused and I hope you are speeding up your journey towards EU membership,” said USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, Ambassador Erin McKee in an interview for the Voice of America.
Ambassador Erin McKee emphasized that “we are working alongside the Albanian people, our partners in the Albanian government and all sectors of society to strengthen Albania’s democratic future.”
“We know that a future in the EU is vital for Albania to unlock its full potential to realize the democratic goals it has set for itself, to see opportunities and diversify the market,” she added.
The USAID Assistant Administrator underlined that “the focus on the rule of law, democracy, economic competition, energy and the security of critical infrastructure are all requirements for both EU membership and a strong, stable and democratic future. Therefore, our programs and projects are focused on those efforts.”
As for Albania-US cooperation in the fight against corruption, Ambassador McKee said that in addition to the government and other institutions, “it is also necessary for citizens to repel corruption, to be able to shed light on corrupt practices.” /argumentum.al