We share here some very deep and interesting reflections, proposals and considerations that the young participants have expressed during the first Module of the first training session that was held on Friday 27th of February.
Concerning their vision of EU, in general, they have expressed the following:
“For me, coming from Albania, the EU is a unique political and economic project that would turn interdependence into stability. It is a space where cooperation replaces conflict”.
“The EU represents freedom, shared values like democracy and human rights, and the possibility to live and work across borders. It connects cultures and people, and for me personally, it turns my dual identity into a strength rather than a division. It is a space of cooperation, development, and hope for the future.”
“Without neglecting and denying the power and the progressiveness of EU, I think that, in order to be accepted in the EU, candidate countries need to match the priorities and the benefits of other bigger and older countries of EU”
The Module was also focused on the European Youth Goals and participants expressed their priorities as follows:
“Equality of genders, Mental health, quality Learning, Quality Employment for All, Youth Organisations & European Programmes”
“I would prioritise strengthening the rule of law and improving the quality of education and youth employment policies. Aligning national reforms more effectively with EU standards would increase transparency, institutional trust, and long-term stability. At the same time, investing in skills development, innovation, and sustainable job creation would address youth unemployment and reduce brain drain. Empowering young people to participate meaningfully in policymaking would ensure that Montenegro’s European path reflects the needs and potential of its youth.”
Concerning the goal “Mental health and Well-Being” they have expressed the following proposal:
“make therapy more accessible for young people. Schools should have more psychologists and mental health should be openly discussed so young people feel safe asking for help”
Concerning the goal “Connecting EU with youth” they have proposed to “give young people a voice, create platforms where young people can share opinions, participate in consultations, and influence decisions that affect their future”.
“to create a youth representatives group to ensure young people have a voice in decision making,insuring transparency”.
Participants from Portugal highlighted that housing is also “a priority, because it isn’t accessible to the majority of the population”. And the situation in Albania is similar since, as some participants said “The prices are outrageous”.
From Italy, a proposal concerned the following “better school funding, especially for rural areas (and generally south Italy). I would also fund international exchanges at every school level in order to build a shared sense of European identity”.
Another important issue that emerged, especially for Albanian and Montenegrin participants, is fighting against corruption and clientelism which are seen as “the primary barriers that obstruct the EU integration process. We must move beyond formal legal alignment on paper and focus on the concrete enforcement of standards. Until we replace ‘nepotism’ with ‘meritocracy’, the brain drain of young professionals will remain an inevitable challenge for our country’s future”.
And someone added: “without a fundamental shift toward transparency and accountability, the country faces a critical loss of its most valuable asset: its human capital. To truly align with the European Union, Albania must move beyond administrative checklists and establish a culture where the Rule of Law is an absolute standard, not an option. Only then can we create a future where migration is a choice of opportunity, rather than a necessity for survival.”
Thus, it would be fundamental to “strengthen the Rule of Law, ensuring meritocracy, creating fair opportunities are essential to reducebrain drain and support Albania’s EU integration”.
Connected with this issue, there was also another proposal: “creating incentives for young professionals to stay in the country”.
The next Module will be online on Friday 6th of March, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Stay tuned and register in the following training sessions!!
