Amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and a renewed push for EU enlargement, the European Parliament’s new office in Tirana will act as a crucial contact point for communication between the European Parliament and national parliaments, civil society, and local partners in the Western Balkans.
Currently, the Parliament operates three antenna offices: one in New York for relations with the United Nations, one in Jakarta for ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and one in Addis Ababa for relations with the African Union.
The decision to open two additional antenna offices in Albania and Moldova follows an earlier resolution by the Parliament’s Bureau to establish offices in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Panama to enhance relations with Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Tirana office will promote the Parliament’s positions and activities, particularly regarding EU accession, and support democracy and institutional reforms in the region.
Additionally, the office will assist in preparing for and following up on official visits by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) while strengthening cooperation with other EU entities on the ground and with international and civil society organisations. The European Parliament has consistently backed the European perspective of the Western Balkans, acknowledging its strategic significance for regional stability and the broader European project.
Establishing this antenna office highlights the EU’s overarching strategy to deepen engagement with candidate countries. Given current geopolitical challenges, especially Russia’s war in Ukraine, the importance of strengthening partnerships in the Western Balkans has become increasingly evident.
Establishing an EP antenna office in Tirana underscores Parliament’s strong commitment to supporting Western Balkans countries on their path towards EU membership while fostering stability, democracy, and closer ties between the EU and its neighbours.
