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Radio Free Europe
- 10 October 2026 13:24
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US Senator Jeanne Shaheen said on Friday in Tirana that the United States should focus its policy towards the Western Balkans on three areas: economic opportunities, stability and democratic institutions.
Shaheen, the ranking minority member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is leading a US congressional delegation on a several-day visit to the Western Balkans.
She visited Bosnia and Herzegovina and is now staying in Albania, before traveling to Kosovo on Monday. She will also visit Montenegro and Croatia.
During his stay in Tirana, where he met with young leaders to discuss the role of the next generation in building Albania's future, Shaheen emphasized the importance of American economic engagement, including removing trade barriers, expanding market access, and supporting American businesses and Albanian entrepreneurs.
"I want to give credit to this administration in Washington. It has paid more attention to American economic engagement, and I think that's good for the region," Shaheen said of the Trump administration.
But she added that "American diplomacy should open doors to American businesses, but it should not decide which American businesses should pass through those doors."
Last month, American liquefied natural gas (LNG) project developer Argent LNG signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Albania to evaluate the construction of an onshore LNG storage and regasification terminal, with a capacity of up to 5 million tons per year.
Several Western Balkan countries have signed agreements with American companies and the United States to expand their gas networks. Among them are Albania, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Meanwhile, Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said in July that the country was considering the possibility of using American gas in the future, amid continued calls to join its largest ally's LNG supply project.
Speaking about stability, the senator focused on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she had stayed before her visit to Albania and was honored with the title "Honorary Citizen of Sarajevo".
She said that, more than 30 years after the war, political leaders are still exploiting ethnic divisions and challenging the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"Albania understands that instability does not stop at the border. What happens in Bosnia matters here too. What happens in Kosovo matters here too," Shaheen said.
She emphasized that American policy should strengthen the institutions and agreements that have helped maintain stability in the region.
During her stay in Sarajevo, she called on Bosnia to continue looking towards the European Union and NATO, and to move away from Russia.
As a third area, Shaheen mentioned democracy and the rule of law, arguing that they are closely linked to economic development and security.
According to her, businesses invest when contracts are enforced and courts are independent, while entrepreneurs need a level playing field.
She also reiterated support for a credible path towards European Union membership for the Western Balkan countries.
According to Shaheen, the European integration process helps strengthen the rule of law, democratic institutions, and economic governance. She described these reforms as important for both the countries of the region and the United States.
However, the senator warned that the accession process must remain credible and that the European perspective should not turn into an endless promise.
"There must be a clear path forward for countries that fulfill their duties," she said.
Of the Western Balkan countries, Montenegro and Albania are seen as the most advanced on the path to membership and both aim to become part of the bloc by 2030.
Unlike other Western Balkan countries, Kosovo does not yet have the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union.
She applied for membership at the end of 2022, but her request has not yet been reviewed.
Serbia has 22 out of 35 negotiation chapters open with the EU, but its process has been blocked since 2021. While Bosnia and Herzegovina received the green light to open negotiations in March 2024, it is still awaiting the approval of the negotiating framework and their official launch.
Kjo është vizita e fundit e Shaheenit në Ballkanin Perëndimor në kuadër të një delegacioni të Kongresit në cilësinë e anëtares së rangut më të lartë të pakicës në Komitetin për Marrëdhënie me Jashtë të Senatit.