News24 – EU Integration, Gjipali: Albania risks losing Growth Plan funds if It does not fulfill reforms, April 21, 2026

On a News24 program, Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of the European Movement in Albania (EMA), emphasized that Albania has made rapid progress in the field of food safety. He clarified that the implementation of European standards is primarily the responsibility of private operators, as they cover most of the activity in this sector.

According to him, the main challenge remains the practical enforcement of laws and the creation of a complete food safety control and management system “from farm to table,” both for the domestic market and for import-export activities. This process requires high costs, as it involves the establishment of new laboratories with the support of EU funds, as well as investments from private entities to raise standards.

Gjipali added that Albania is aligning with European standards with the aim of strengthening integration capacities. He also spoke about the reform process within the framework of the Growth Plan, where reporting is carried out every six months over a three-year period, while the country is currently at the end of the first year of this process.

According to him, the European Commission has assessed the progress achieved, but has noted that some areas are still not fully completed, such as human rights, the economy, and legal alignment, granting more time for the continuation of reforms. Albania must continue working without delays in order to meet standards and avoid falling behind other countries in the integration process. Receiving a positive report enables the closure of chapters where progress has been made, but there are still discussions among member states to fully assess whether the progress is real; therefore, more work is needed to convince all parties and ensure positive decisions.

News24 – EU Integration, Gjipali: Albania risks losing Growth Plan funds if It does not fulfill reforms, April 21, 2026