Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama took part in the 20th edition of the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. The gathering is considered one of Europe’s key diplomatic events. He spoke on the leaders’ panel “The Bled Promise: Dream or Reality?” with EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and the prime ministers of Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro.

Rama underlined Albania’s goal of completing EU accession talks by 2027. He stressed that the target, though ambitious, follows the benchmarks set by the European Commission. He added that Albania aims to advance without delay and meet every requirement of the process.

The prime minister emphasized that accession should not be seen only as a race toward membership. Instead, he said the process must serve as a tool for state-building. According to him, European integration delivers standards and knowledge vital for building institutions the country has long lacked.

Rama contrasted this with failures in Afghanistan and Iraq, where outside interventions used force rather than institutional reform. He argued that Europe offers a unique model from which Albania must learn by strengthening governance.

He described Europe as both a challenge and a blessing. On one hand, accession demands discipline and reforms. On the other, it provides a clear framework for democratic progress. Rama concluded that Albania remains optimistic and sees EU membership as the natural outcome of its commitment.

The Bled Forum runs on 1 and 2 September and gathers more than three thousand participants from across Europe and beyond.

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