Albania in Belgium

[Albania in Belgium @AlEmbBelgium]

Ambassador @ADautllari presented Letters of Credence to His Majesty King Philippe of the Belgians.
With renewed commitment, looking forward to further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between 🇦🇱 and 🇧🇪, as allies and partners in building our common European future.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

It was a pleasure to welcome to Tirana my colleague and friend, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, @grlicradman. 🇦🇱🇭🇷

Our discussions reaffirmed the excellent relations between #Albania and #Croatia and our shared commitment to further strengthening our strategic partnership built on shared values, mutual trust, and a common vision for cooperation, peace and stability in the region and #Europe.

Croatia’s steadfast support for Albania’s EU #accession remains invaluable. We highly appreciate its continued support as well as the practical expertise, which further strengthens our determination to advance reforms and achieve our goal of completing accession negotiations by 2027 and full EU membership by 2030.

We also agreed to deepen our economic partnership by promoting investment and expanding cooperation in key areas such as energy, infrastructure, tourism, connectivity and mobility. Advancing strategic projects and strengthening regional integration will create new opportunities for sustainable growth, competitiveness, and shared prosperity.

As #NATO Allies and close regional partners, Albania and Croatia remain firmly committed to advancing peace, stability, and a secure Euro-Atlantic future.

We will continue to strengthen regional cooperation, support the European perspective of all #WesternBalkans countries, and contribute to lasting security, stability, and prosperity in our region.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Tirana -- Very pleased to host today, under the auspices of Prime Minister @ediramaal, a Conference on "Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference" (#FIMI).

Albanian and international experts from allied nations, European institutions, think tanks, the media and civil society came together to discuss one of the most critical challenges to European #security.

Key points of my opening remarks:

👉 FIMI is not simply a matter of competing narratives. It is increasingly used as a calculated instrument of hybrid pressure, designed to erode trust, exploit social divisions, weaponise #algorithms, amplify grievances and fracture our shared understanding of reality.

👉 Often, its objective is even more insidious: to make citizens doubt everything; to undermine confidence in institutions, independent media and, ultimately, #democracy itself.

👉 In a world increasingly shaped by social media and transformed by the rapid—and largely unregulated—development of #artificialintelligence, no country is immune to these threats.

👉 For Albania, this discussion comes at a particularly important moment. We see a direct correlation: as we enter the home stretch of our European Union accession negotiations, we are increasingly exposed to hostile influence and manipulation by those who do not share our choices, our values or our strategic direction.

👉 This is not a time for hesitation. It is a time for clarity and determination—not to remain passive beneficiaries of outside protection, but to contribute actively to our common efforts.

👉 Resilience cannot be outsourced, nor can it be built by governments alone. It requires cooperation among governments and parliaments, independent media and civil society, academia and technology experts—and, ultimately and most importantly, citizens themselves.

👉 Resilience also requires international cooperation. The experience of countries that have faced these threats directly, studied them, exposed them and developed tools to counter them must become part of a common response.

👉 Albania wants to, and will be part of these joint efforts: building on best practices and lessons learned, seeking practical solutions and finding the most effective ways to address these new and evolving challenges successfully. Because defending our democracies in the information space is no longer a choice. It is a shared responsibility.

#Albania2030

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

If one conclusion emerged clearly from today’s rich and thoughtful discussions, held in an extraordinary gathering of minds, it is that FIMI is far more sophisticated than a campaign of falsehoods. It exploits existing vulnerabilities, amplifies distrust and polarisation, and seeks to erode the confidence that holds democratic societies together.

Today’s exchanges demonstrated the value of bringing together practitioners, policymakers, researchers, journalists and civil society. Different perspectives often led to different emphases, but they pointed in the same direction: democratic resilience is a shared responsibility.

The conference also reinforced something that Prime Minister Edi Rama highlighted this morning: today’s threats rarely announce themselves openly. They enter quietly, often disguised within the information we consume and the technologies we rely on, seeking to undermine the trust that binds our societies together.

For Albania, organising this conference was never an end in itself. It was an opportunity to bring the enlargement perspective into a discussion that is increasingly shaping Europe’s future. Candidate countries are not standing outside this debate. They are living it every day—and they have an important contribution to make.

My sincere thanks to every speaker, moderator and participant for sharing not only knowledge, but also experience, ideas and practical solutions. Today’s discussions reaffirmed Albania’s determination to remain an active contributor to this common European effort.

The conference may have concluded, but the partnerships, ideas and practical cooperation it generated are only beginning. The real measure of today’s success will be what we do with them next.

[Albanian MEFA 🇦🇱 @AlbanianDiplo]

Heartbreaking images from France and Spain, where devastating wildfires are raging for days and have displaced more than 300,000 people.

Albania🇦🇱 stands firmly with our European partners and friends during this particularly difficult time.Our thoughts and deepest solidarity are with all those affected by these devastating wildfires. 🇫🇷🇪🇸

It is a pattern we can no longer ignore: every summer is hotter, and the consequences are becoming more severe. We express our deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters, emergency responders and all those working tirelessly on the front lines to protect communities and save lives.

[Edi Rama @ediramaal]

I am deeply saddened by the tragic news coming from Berlin.

On behalf of the Government of Albania, I extend our heartfelt solidarity to Germany and the German people.

There can be no tolerance for hatred, violence, or extremism in any form. They threaten not only the safety of our citizens, but the very values that hold our democracies together. We must stand united against them, with determination and without hesitation.

My thoughts are with the family of the victim, and I wish a full and speedy recovery to all those who were injured.

Albania stands with Germany.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

We strongly condemn the Russian attack that hit Latvia’s Honorary Consulate in Sloviansk.

#Albania stands in full solidarity with #Latvia and Ukraine.

Sadly, Albanian diplomatic representations have also been targeted in similar attacks on more than one occasion.

We know firsthand that such attacks are not merely attacks on buildings. They are attacks on international law, the rules-based international order and the principles that unite the democratic world.

But they will not destroy Ukraine’s courage, nor the solidarity and determination of the international community to stand with #Ukraine.

🇦🇱🤝🇱🇻🤝🇺🇦

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

Always a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to an Ambassador and a friend of Albania.

This time, it was H.E. Ruth Huber, whose mandate as Swiss Ambassador to Albania is coming to an end.

A sad moment indeed to see a friend of #Albania leave, but also an opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for her important contribution to strengthening the excellent relations and enduring friendship between our two countries.

Wishing you all the best in your next chapter, Ambassador!

🇦🇱🤝🇨🇭

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

I was pleased to meet today with the new Ambassador of Mexico to Albania, H.E. Genaro Fausto Lozano Valencia. 🇦🇱🇲🇽

We reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between Albania and Mexico and exchanged views on further strengthening our bilateral partnership through enhanced political dialogue, parliamentary cooperation, economic and cultural exchanges, tourism, and greater engagement between our business communities.

We also underscored the importance of maintaining regular high-level contacts and further strengthening our constructive cooperation in multilateral fora.

I wished Ambassador Lozano every success in his mission and reaffirmed Albania’s readiness to work closely with him to further deepen the ties between our two countries and peoples.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

Information is no longer merely the space where policies are debated. It has become a strategic terrain where trust is tested, democratic choices are shaped and influence is increasingly exercised. We cannot remain indifferent to this seismic transformation unfolding before our eyes.

Next Monday, on 27 July, #Tirana will bring together voices from both sides of the Atlantic and from different democratic frontlines, from the United States, France and Germany to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, alongside experts from the EU and NATO, for the conference “Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference: Albania and the Enlargement Context.”

The diversity of this gathering matters. Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) does not affect every country in the same way, but no democracy is immune and no country can confront it alone. The experience of those who have faced it directly, studied or just exposed it, must become part of a common European response.

Bringing the #Enlargement process into this conversation is both timely and essential. We see a direct correlation: the closer Albania moves towards EU accession, the more it becomes a target for those who do not share our choices, our values or our goals.

Candidate countries must therefore not be seen merely as beneficiaries of European support, but as contributors to a common effort. Our experience, vulnerabilities and lessons learned should help shape the European Democracy Shield and contribute to Europe’s broader democratic resilience agenda.

Because resilience cannot be outsourced. It is built through common efforts, by governments, independent media, civil society, academia, technology experts and citizens themselves.

This is the discussion we want to lead in Tirana. 👇

https://t.co/4VANliNhUK

--

Informacioni nuk është më thjesht hapësira ku debatohen politikat. Ai është shndërruar në një terren strategjik ku vihet në provë besimi, formësohen zgjedhjet demokratike dhe ushtrohet gjithnjë e më shumë ndikim. Ne nuk mund të qëndrojmë indiferentë ndaj këtij ndryshimi sizmik që po zhvillohet para syve tanë.

Të hënën e ardhshme, më 27 korrik, #Tirana do të mbledhë së bashku zëra nga të dyja anët e Atlantikut dhe nga fronte të ndryshme të demokracisë, nga Shtetet e Bashkuara, Franca dhe Gjermania te Ukraina, Gjeorgjia dhe Moldavia, si dhe ekspertë nga BE-ja dhe NATO-ja, në një konferencë të titulluar: “Përballja me Manipulimin e Informacionit dhe Ndërhyrjen e Huaj: Shqipëria dhe Konteksti i Zgjerimit.”

Pjesëmarrja nga horizonte të ndryshëm në këtë takim ka rëndësi. Manipulimi i Informacionit dhe Ndërhyrja e Huaj (FIMI) nuk prek çdo vend në të njëjtën mënyrë, por asnjë demokraci nuk është imune dhe asnjë vend nuk mund të përballet i vetëm me këtë fenomen. Përvoja e atyre që e kanë përjetuar drejtpërdrejt, e kanë studiuar apo thjesht e kanë ekspozuar, duhet të bëhet pjesë e një përgjigjeje të përbashkët evropiane.

Sjellja e procesit të #Zgjerimit në këtë diskutim është në kohën e duhur dhe njëkohësisht thelbësore. Ne vërejmë një lidhje të drejtpërdrejtë: sa më shumë Shqipëria i afrohet anëtarësimit në BE, aq më shumë bëhet objektiv i atyre që nuk ndajnë zgjedhjet, vlerat apo synimet tona.

Prandaj, vendet kandidate për në BE nuk duhet të shihen thjesht si përfituese të mbështetjes evropiane, por si kontribuese në një përpjekje të përbashkët. Përvoja, dobësitë dhe mësimet e nxjerra prej nesh duhet të ndihmojnë në formësimin e European Democracy Shield dhe të kontribuojnë në agjendën më të gjerë të qëndrueshmërisë demokratike të Evropës.

Sepse qëndrueshmëria nuk mund të delegohet. Ajo ndërtohet përmes përpjekjeve të përbashkëta—nga qeveritë, mediat e pavarura, shoqëria civile, akademia, ekspertët e teknologjisë dhe vetë qytetarët.

Ky është diskutimi që duam të udhëheqim në Tiranë.👇

https://t.co/4VANliNhUK

#Shqipëria2030

[Albanian MEFA 🇦🇱 @AlbanianDiplo]

Albania condemns in the strongest terms the threats made by the Houthi militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including threats to impose a maritime blockade.

Such provocative and escalatory actions further destabilize the region, threaten freedom of navigation and the security of maritime routes in the Red Sea, and undermine international efforts to achieve peace and stability in Yemen.

Albania stands firmly with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its regional partners in confronting threats to regional security and international navigation and remains committed to supporting international efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, and security in the region.

[Albanian MEFA 🇦🇱 @AlbanianDiplo]

Happy National Day to Belgium and the Belgian people!

Belgium is a close friend of Albania, a valued NATO Ally, and an important partner on our European path. Our ties have grown steadily stronger over the years, built on mutual trust, shared values, and a common vision for Europe.

We are grateful for Belgium’s continued support for Albania’s EU membership ambitions. The forthcoming opening of the Belgian Embassy in Tirana marks another important milestone in our bilateral relations and reflects our shared commitment to deepening cooperation and bringing our countries and people even closer.

Warm wishes to our Belgian friends and colleagues at @BelgiumMFA on this special day! 🇧🇪🤝🇦🇱

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

My warmest congratulations to @Ed_Miliband on your appointment as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom.

I wish you every success in this important responsibility and look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen the excellent relations between #Albania and the United Kingdom, as well as our cooperation on shared regional and global challenges.🇦🇱🇬🇧

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

Environmental protection is one of the defining challenges of our time. It is not only about preserving nature; it is about safeguarding our health, strengthening our economies, and ensuring sustainable #development in harmony with nature for generations to come.

The publication of the Environmental Performance #Index 2026, produced by two of the world's most respected academic institutions, the #Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and #Columbia University, brings encouraging news for Albania, and at a particularly important moment.

Ranked 1st in the Western Balkans and 46th globally out of 177 countries assessed, #Albania has emerged as the region’s leading environmental performer, while also recording the largest improvement in environmental performance over the past decade.

Particularly noteworthy is Albania’s 21st-place ranking worldwide in #Climate Change Mitigation, reflecting tangible progress in reducing emissions and advancing the transition to a greener, low-carbon economy.

These results are encouraging, but they also remind us that #environmental protection is a continuous responsibility.

They reaffirm that our commitment to the highest environmental standards and to a sustainable future remains unwavering, first and foremost for our own citizens and future generations, but also as an integral part of Albania’s path toward membership in the European Union.

Facts matter. Truth be told.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Washington D.C. -- A great opportunity to exchange views with Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau on the margins of the Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism.

Together with Deputy Secretary Landau, and during a more in-depth meeting with Under Secretary Alison Hooker, we discussed a range of issues of mutual interest with our strategic partner and Ally, the United States, and reaffirmed our shared commitment to further strengthening our cooperation.

Our discussions also underscored the strong and enduring bond between #Albania and the #UnitedStates, a friendship rooted in shared values, reinforced by decades of strong #partnership, and sustained by an unwavering commitment to #freedom, #democracy, #security, and #prosperity.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Washington D.C. -- A pleasure to meet and exchange with Israel's Foreign Minister, @gidonsaar, on the margins of the Ministerial meeting in D.C.

Our discussion reaffirmed the excellent bilateral relations between #Albania and #Israel and our shared commitment to further deepening cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.

We also exchanged views on regional developments, common security challenges, and the importance of strengthening international cooperation to counter terrorism, violent extremism, and emerging hybrid threats, while continuing to support efforts aimed at advancing peace, stability, and security in the region and beyond.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Washington D.C. -- Takimet me mikun tim, ZvKM dhe Ministrin e Jashtëm të Kosovës, @KonjufcaGlauk, nuk kanë nevojë për kalendar e formalitete.

Gjithmonë kënaqësi të takohemi në çdo rast për biseda të hapura dhe miqësore, për të ndarë mendime e vlerësime për zhvillimet më të fundit, dhe kurdoherë për të bashkuar idetë e përpjekjet për forcimin e mëtejshëm të bashkëpunimit të gjithanshëm mes #Shqipërisë dhe #Kosovës.

#Sëbashku

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Washington D.C. -- On the margins of the Ministerial meeting, I met with Serbia's Foreign Minister, Marko Đurić.

We exchanged on current developments and future prospects.

I also reiterated #Albania's clear and firm position regarding the unacceptable and irresponsible statements made recently by a member of the Serbian Government, and stressed the need to unequivocally reject rhetoric that fuels tensions, undermines regional stability and cooperation, and runs counter to the spirit of good-neighborly relations and #European values.

This is what #diplomacy is about: engaging in open dialogue, looking each other in the eye, confronting reality, and addressing differences with responsibility.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Washington D.C. -- Pleased to represent #Albania at the #Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, convened by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, alongside representatives from more than 60 countries.

Key messages from my remarks:

• Political extremism and use of violence to achieve political objectives constitute a direct attack on democracy itself. Albania's position is unequivocal: in a democracy, there is neither place nor justification for violence as a political tool.

• Our own history reminds us what is at stake. Once a brutal communist dictatorship, living in a world without light and without hope, today an established democracy, a committed #NATO Ally, a candicate to soon join #European Union and a close partner to the United States, we in Albania know the price of freedom and the importance of defending hard-won democratic values.

• We must strengthen #democratic resilience, counter foreign information manipulation and interference, confront state-sponsored threats, including malicious cyberattacks, and deepen international cooperation.
Having faced sustained cyber and hybrid attacks by #Iran, Albania has developed significant resilience and capabilities, an area where continued vigilance and investment are essential.

• International cooperation is indispensable. In today's interconnected world, no country is immune. #Democracies speak the same language. They must therefore cooperate more closely, share information, exchange best practices, and mobilize all available tools to address the common challenges that threaten our security, our institutions, and our democratic way of life.

[Ferit Hoxha🇦🇱 @HoxhaFer]

📍Brussels -- Albania and Montenegro are now widely and unequivocally recognised as the #frontrunners of the EU accession process from the Western Balkans. Yesterday’s “Super Tuesday” and the progress achieved in our negotiations once again confirmed this reality.

But that is only part of the story.

On the very same day, the European Commission provided another important recognition, this time on the second and complementary key track of European path: the implementation of the EU Growth Plan for the #WesternBalkans.

Speaking before the European Parliament, Director-General for Enlargement, @GertJanEU highlighted #Albania as one of the region’s top performers, with an expected implementation rate of around 80% as of June 2026, alongside #Montenegro.

This is not simply a statistic. It reflects the determination of our Government and institutions, the commitment of our public administration, and the sustained pace of reforms undertaken across the country.

More importantly, it confirms a broader reality: progress towards the European Union is only measured by delivery. By implementation. By results.

As Albania enters the most decisive phase of its accession process, we remain fully committed to maintaining this momentum, implementing the reforms agreed under the @GrowthPlan, and ensuring that the benefits of European accession path are increasingly felt by our citizens.

Our #European future, and the Albania we all want, is taking shape through concrete achievements, sustained effort, and hard work.

Step by step. Reform by reform. Visible. Verifiable. Real. 🇦🇱🇪🇺

👇

[EU Council @EUCouncil]

A key step on Albania’s path to EU membership.

The EU and Albania have provisionally closed the first negotiation chapters, covering:

🔸 science and research
🔸 education and culture
🔸 external relations

More info➡️https://t.co/A4TJrH4MAm