The main aim of the article is to argue for a values-driven and cultural sensitivity approach in responding to the current challenges for a true European integration process, made even more necessary with the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, the paper proposes a number of reflections and policy suggestions on the need of reshaping Europe in the turbulent Covid-19 times. In doing so, a four-section approach is adopted. The first section puts the European future in perspective. It refers to the historical development of the 
integration process from a mainly economic project to a sui generis international organisation and briefly overviews the current challenges and opportunities faced by the European Union. The second section identifies two major fundamental guiding lines for the EU’s future: the strengthening of a values-oriented European future, and development of a true European citizenship. The third section emphasises European solidarity as one of the crucial aspects of a sustainable and values-driven European future. This is especially evident in the necessarily cross-border approach to the Corona pandemic. The final section argues for 
cultural sensitivity in the EU reconstruction process in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. 

The article focuses on the relationship between the EU and other states situated on the European continent. The EU has to deal with various groups of states, which are characterised by different attitudes towards the Union. Some of them seek membership in the future, whereas others do not need it, but would like to engage in closer economic cooperation. Besides, growing regional powers aspire to play a significant role in Europe’s development, which is why they strive for equal partnership with the EU. The mail goal of the paper is to find the best models of cooperation between the EU with the aforementioned groups of European countries.

Nearly  thirty  years  after  the  fall  of  communism  in  Albania,  European  integration  has  been  the  main driving force for change and the real catalyst for reform. Today, a vast majority of Albanians continue to be convinced that the only way to develop, modernize and guarantee security is a full integration into the European family. The problem is not simply the duration of such an intermediate phase between obtaining candidate status and a full membership of the European Union. In fact, Albanians  themselves  are  increasingly  aware  that  the  road  to  full  membership  of  the  European  Union will be long, and that it will require a series of major and profound changes in the country, especially in the areas of the rule of law and functioning of institutions, along with implementing various standards that a society must meet in order to achieve this goal. The aim of this paper is to analyze Albanian use and abuse of the EU integration process in internal political discourse, reforms and  transformation.  A  number  of  documents,  publications  and  public  speeches  are  examined  in  order to evaluate the impact of integration in this small, developing, post-communist country.