Albania could learn from Slovakia’s example, Lajcak says

Tirana Times
By Tirana Times March 13, 2015 10:37

TIRANA, March 9 - Albania could learn from Slovakia's example that EU-related reforms are hard, but worth making, Slovak Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Miroslav Lajcak said during an official visit to Tirana this week.

He met with senior officials to discuss Albania’s efforts of integration into the European Union and bilateral relations.

Lajcak said that his country was actively supporting Albania's integration efforts, adding they consider Tirana as a key partner in the region.

He said that there are many reforms that the country should do in its road toward EU membership, and, based on Slovakia’s experience, those are not easy ones.

“But efforts worth making because at the end they will bring about results which will improve Albanians’ life,” he said.

During the meeting with his host counterpart Ditmir Bushati, Lajcak talked about the bilateral ties and the efforts how to increase the economic cooperation.

Lajcak also highly evaluated Tirana’s peaceful role in the Balkan region.

Albania is trying to comply with the five priorities set from Brussels in order for the Adriatic republic to launch the membership negotiations with the bloc. Albania was granted EU candidate status last year.

Bushati said that Slovakia has always been an unshaken support for the processes of integration of the western Balkan countries, adding they had profited a lot during the previous stage of candidacy and also now on the reforms needed to reach the launch of the membership talks.

Bushati said they would like very much to apply the Slovak experience in the integration efforts.

Bushati did not forget to call on Bratislava to consider again recognizing Kosovo as an independent state, as Slovakia is one of five EU member countries that has not done so yet.

The two ministries signed an agreement of cooperation and three more are pending.

Prime Minister Edi Rama has a planned visit to Slovakia soon.

Tirana Times
By Tirana Times March 13, 2015 10:37