Albania approves NATO Accession Protocol for Sweden and Finland
BELGRADE, Serbia
Albania’s parliament on Thursday ratified the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Both bills that ratified the protocols were approved by 114 deputies in the 140-seat parliament.
None of the deputies present voted against or abstained.
Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhacka, said in her speech at the session that her country has supported Sweden and Finland’s processes for NATO membership from the outset.
“We strongly believe in NATO’s open door policy, and this policy makes the Alliance stronger and collective security more secure. This perspective should also be presented to Kosovo,” Xhacka said.
The bills must also be approved by President Ilir Meta.
Sweden and Finland were invited to join NATO after Turkey lifted its veto on membership.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson agreed last month at a NATO summit in Madrid on a trilateral memorandum to address Turkey’s legitimate security concerns, paving the way for the two Nordic countries’ NATO membership.
Membership applications from both countries must be voted on in the parliaments of all NATO member countries.
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