DHAKA: The European Union set Albania on the road to membership on Tuesday, agreeing to give the small Balkan state the status of candidate to join.

The bloc’s enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele said, The Straits Times reports.

‘Congratulations on candidate status just agreed,’ Fuele said on Twitter.

‘(It is an) acknowledgement of reform efforts, encouragement for more.’

BDST: 1752 HRS, JUNE 24, 2014