TIRANA, February 16 – Around 550 laws identified so far must be drafted in less than two years in Albania to close accession talks. Integration expert Gledis Gjipali considers not only the volume but also the depth of the process a major challenge.

He said authorities have already introduced an accelerated procedure for approving laws related to the integration process. This procedure may speed up adoption. However, it may also affect quality. He stressed that quality remains crucial because poor drafting later causes delays in implementation.

Meanwhile, the only space for negotiation concerns the timing of entry into force of the laws. The expert said institutions must use this timeframe carefully.

Gjipali explained that the negotiating position does not belong only to Albania. The European Union also sets its own negotiating position. After identifying the required acts, authorities see that most of them require detailed input from the Albanian side. Therefore, room for negotiation remains limited. It mainly relates to transitional periods and certain specific exemptions. In this context, Albania may seek support from the European Union through funding or technical assistance in order to ease the transition.

However, the process does not grant extended deadlines automatically.

The expert said the European Union first requires detailed justification for any requested transition period, whether five or seven years. From this perspective, the European Union has requested a detailed plan for specific directives or issues. This plan must explain how Albania will meet its obligations within the requested timeframe.

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