As part of the Balkan Initiative, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine continues its series of study visits aimed at exploring the experience of the Western Balkan countries in European integration and the approximation of national legislation to the EU acquis.
The latest stage of the working trip was a visit to the Republic of Albania.
This important area of institutional cooperation and expert exchange is currently being implemented in partnership with and through the support of "Ukraine2EU" — the EU Programme for Supporting the European Integration of Ukraine.
The agenda of the Ukrainian delegation's stay in Tirana covered key institutions responsible for the country's Euro-integration track, as well as leading educational and analytical centers:
The Parliamentary Dimension: Meetings were held in the Parliament of Albania with representatives of the Parliamentary Institute, the Integration Service, and the Research and Analysis Service. The parties discussed the role of the supreme legislative body in the EU negotiation process, institutional mechanisms for policy coordination, parliamentary oversight, and analytical support for lawmaking.
The Government Track: In the Prime Minister's Office of Albania, the delegation met with experts from the Department of Policy and EU Integration and the EU Integration Directorate. The main topic of discussion focused on the practical aspects of implementing the Euro-integration course and Albania's experience in executing the National Capacity Plan for European Integration and Accession.
The Academic and Expert Dimension: A separate and significant part of the program was a visit to the College of Europe Campus in Tirana. During the meeting, the parties discussed human resource development for the public sector in the context of European integration, as well as the potential for cooperation in research and educational fields.
Studying the practical case studies of the Balkan region is a core element of the systematic work carried out by the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The acquired experience regarding inter-agency coordination, capacity planning, legislative harmonization, and expert potential building will help optimize analytical support for the Ukrainian parliament on its path to EU membership.
The Balkan Initiative of the Research Service is ongoing, providing a reliable expert foundation for the domestic lawmaking process.
