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The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, has commented on the European Commission's report on his country. Mickoski said that he disagrees with the statement of some European commissioners that Albania is ahead of Macedonia on the path to the EU.
He added that after the elections, the government will focus on judicial reforms. The Macedonian Prime Minister stressed that he is satisfied with the Report because there is no regression. According to him, there are stagnations in some areas and therefore changes are needed in the Judicial Council and the Prosecutor's Office.
"We are ahead of Albania, even though some European commissioners have said such things, so when it comes to analyzing which country is ready, Montenegro is first, Macedonia and Serbia in second place, and then comes Albania," Mickoski said.
The European Commission has published its latest report on Albania's progress towards EU membership, assessing that the country has maintained high political commitment and has opened negotiations on five out of six chapters. However, the document highlights that a number of key challenges continue to hinder the pace of reforms.
According to the report, the May 2025 parliamentary elections were competitive and professionally administered, but were accompanied by inequalities in the electoral terrain, misuse of public resources and deep political polarization. The Commission emphasizes the need for comprehensive electoral reform and increased parliamentary oversight of the government.
In the area of the rule of law, the EU appreciates the progress of judicial reform, but warns that political pressure on judicial institutions remains a concern. The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils continue to function with limited capacity, while the system lacks sufficient judges and prosecutors.
The report also highlights the fight against corruption, with SPAK having significantly increased its performance in prosecuting high-level cases. However, corruption is still considered widespread in many public sectors, while asset declaration and control require greater transparency and efficiency.
In the economic field, the Commission notes that the Albanian economy has maintained growth, inflation has stabilised and public debt has fallen. However, challenges such as tax evasion, weak governance of state-owned enterprises and low productivity continue to hamper competitiveness.
Environment, climate and waste management remain among the areas with the lowest progress, where the EU requires the adoption of new laws, strengthening inspections and accelerating infrastructure projects according to European standards.
Regarding foreign policy, Albania is highly regarded for its 100% compliance with EU positions and sanctions, being considered a reliable partner in the region.
The European Commission reiterates that Albania has made important steps forward, but stresses the need to accelerate reforms in democracy, justice, public administration and the environment in order for the country to advance towards the opening and closing of negotiation chapters.
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