On October 15, Albania will officially begin opening the first negotiation chapters, known as the “Fundamentals,” as part of its EU accession process. Hungary, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has supported Albania throughout its integration process and has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, alongside Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, confirmed Albania’s progress during Rama’s visit to Budapest on Friday. The date had been delayed for almost a year.

Why is this important: Hungary has been one of the few EU member states consistently supporting the expansion of the Union to include new members like Albania. Prime Minister Orban praised Albania for its diligent work in the EU negotiations, emphasizing that the country’s progress has been entirely merit-based. He expressed his belief that Albania should already be part of the European Union, but acknowledged the political challenges that have slowed the process. Hungary’s support is noteworthy, as during its last presidency in 2013, Croatia became the EU’s newest member, and there have been no new entries since then.

Orban, standing beside Rama, stated that the EU should welcome the Western Balkan countries, as their inclusion would invigorate the European Union, describing the expansion as making “the blood circulate better in the European family.”

Context: The two prime ministers also discussed trade relations. Albania currently benefits from €350 million in direct Hungarian investments, including ownership of a major telecom company and a leading bank, which recently won an award for best digital bank in Albania. The Hungarian airline WizzAir operates around 50 flights from Tirana to European destinations, contributing to strong business ties between the two countries. Rama pointed out that tourism is a sector with significant potential for Hungarian investors.