Tirana:The European Union's approach to enlargement should be seen as a strategic investment in peace, stability, and security, according to Giorgos Karoullas, Chair of Cyprus' House Committee on Foreign and European Affairs. His comments were made during the Interparliamentary Conference on the Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania's accession.

According to Cyprus News Agency, Karoullas emphasized the importance of the European perspective for the Western Balkans in today's unstable international environment. He described it as a strategic and geopolitical investment in strengthening European stability and resilience.

Karoullas highlighted the need to protect the enlargement process from external interference and from any attempt to promote incompatible principles and values with the EU acquis. He stressed that a candidate country's progress in the accession process should be directly linked to its alignment with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy, aiding the EU's goal of strategic autonomy.

He also mentioned that EU enlargement was a priority during Cyprus' Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026. Cyprus aimed to ensure that the process remained credible, fair, and merit-based, grounded in EU principles and values.

Regarding Albania's EU accession, Karoullas noted the progress made, reflecting the country's determination to undertake reforms necessary for alignment with EU obligations. He urged continued EU support for Albania's European path while maintaining a credible accession process based on concrete achievements.

Karoullas argued that the success of Albania's accession should not only be measured by the chapters opened or provisionally closed but also by the integration of European standards into its institutions and citizen's lives. He stated that these reforms are crucial for Albania's future strength and resilience as an EU Member State.

In the broader context of EU enlargement, Karoullas pointed out that it serves as a powerful means to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across Europe. He asserted that this process should be seen not as bureaucratic but as a strategic investment, especially in confronting threats along the EU's external borders, and emphasized the vital role of national parliaments in reinforcing democratic legitimacy and a shared European vision.