At the Security Forum held in Tirana with the participation of US congressmen, MEPs and parliamentarians from the region, Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku proposed the creation of a permanent cooperation structure between the Albanian Parliament and the US Congress on issues of economic security, strategic investments, energy and technology.

In her intervention, Tabaku focused on the changing security architecture in the Western Balkans, arguing that the region is no longer seen solely as a democratization project, but as a space of strategic competition for energy, infrastructure, technology, and geopolitical influence.

She emphasized that corruption and weak institutions are no longer just an internal political problem, but vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hostile actors and interests.

According to Tabaku, opaque procurements, non-transparent investments and lack of control over strategic assets today constitute a threat to national security.

In this context, the DP MP also spoke about her proposal for a law on the control of strategic investments, harmonized with European Union standards and partnership with the US, emphasizing that "ports, energy, telecommunications and digital infrastructure are no longer just economic, but security issues."

Tabaku also raised the question of why Albania should not be involved in deeper strategic and trade agreements with the US, at a time when Washington is expanding economic cooperation with other countries in the region.

According to her, strategic partnerships cannot rely solely on diplomacy or relations between governments, but must be built institutionally and long-term, through parliamentary cooperation and sustainable mechanisms between allies.

The Tirana Security Forum brought together political and parliamentary figures from the US, Germany, Italy, the UK and the Western Balkan countries to discuss the role of NATO and the transatlantic partnership in the new European security architecture.

Jorida Tabaku's speech at the Security Forum in Tirana:

In this new geopolitical era, the Western Balkans is no longer seen simply as a post-conflict project or democratic transition. Our region today is a space where strategic competition takes place: for infrastructure, energy, technology, trade, and political influence.

Precisely for this reason, the partnership between Albania and the United States should not be based on interim governments or electoral cycles, but on strong institutions, shared values, and a long-term strategic vision.

For years, the Western Balkans has been analyzed through the prism of democratic stabilization and Euro-Atlantic integration. But the world order has changed. Today, the countries of the region will no longer be judged by political statements, but by their ability to be credible, governable, and capable of protecting national strategic assets from malign influences.

For Albania, this is a historic moment that brings both opportunity and responsibility.

Opportunity, because Albania remains one of the most pro-American countries in the world, a NATO ally, and a reliable partner in international security missions.

But also responsibility, because today corruption is no longer just a problem of internal governance. It is a matter of national security. Dark procurement is no longer just poor administration, but a gateway for malign influence and strategic penetration.

The next decade in the Balkans will not be defined solely by politics, but by infrastructure corridors, energy, digital networks, ports, artificial intelligence, and strategic investments.

Corridor VIII is not just a transportation project. It is a geopolitical corridor that connects the Adriatic with the Black Sea and integrates our region into the strategic architecture of NATO and Europe.

Likewise, energy infrastructure, ports, digital networks, and cybersecurity are no longer technical sectors. They are pillars of national sovereignty.

It is precisely for this reason that I have proposed to Parliament a law for the control and filtering of strategic investments, in accordance with European Union standards and the expectations of American partners.

Today, investments are no longer just about economics. Ports are about security. Telecommunications are about security. Energy is about security. Data and digital infrastructure are about security.

The question is no longer just who invests, but who gains influence, who controls strategic access, and who creates geopolitical dependence.

Albania cannot afford strategic naivety. We need transparent investments, open markets and competition, but also protective mechanisms against dark capital and hostile influences.

I believe that Albania can become a model in the Western Balkans: a country that combines European standards with transatlantic strategic thinking.

In this context, I also raised an important question: if the US is deepening strategic trade agreements with countries in the region, then why should Albania remain outside this discussion?

Albania is today a NATO ally, a country clearly oriented towards the West, and a contributor to international security. Therefore, the time has come for a deeper economic and strategic partnership between Albania and the United States, through trade, energy, defense, technology, and strategic investments.

But partnership requires trust. And trust requires rules, transparency, and strong institutions.

For this reason, I proposed the creation of a permanent parliamentary mechanism between the Albanian Parliament and the US Congress, a bipartisan structure for strategic cooperation in the areas of economic security, critical infrastructure, energy, technology, and defense.

Because strategic partnerships cannot survive on diplomatic will alone. They must be built institutionally and long-term.

Albania has a historic opportunity not to remain on the periphery of the transatlantic world, but to position itself on its strategic front line.

The future of the Western Balkans will not be guaranteed by political declarations alone, but by strong institutions, transparent governance, reliable alliances, and the courage to reform the country before crises force us to do so.