On 30 September 2026, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, began her sixth annual tour of the Western Balkans with a visit to Tirana, Albania. Welcomed by Bajram Begaj, President of Albania, and Edi Rama, Albanian Prime Minister, she held a joint press conference at which she stated that “the goal is in sight”, praising Albania’s remarkable progress as one of the leading countries in the drive towards European integration, having closed its first three negotiation chapters in July. This strategic visit provided an opportunity to take stock of the implementation of the EU’s €6 billion Growth Plan for the region – with Albania set to benefit from an additional €920 million in investment – and continued the following day with a visit to the Emin Duraku School, which was rebuilt thanks to European solidarity following the 2019 earthquake.