Hungary committed to Western Balkans, says president

TIRANA, Nov 1 – Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom held a two-day visit to Albania last weekend meeting with all top Albanian officials.
Solyom said that Hungary was extremely committed to the Western Balkan region since Budapest had a genuine interest in the region and was very familiar with its history.
Solyom said that Albania was concerned that governments in Western Europe were not really capable of weighing up relations there.
The European Union must understand that in this part of the world, nations do not end at the borders of the state, the president said. At the same time it is possible to ensure that the principle of inviolable borders is not transgressed if nations are treated as unities, he said, referring to the fact that Albanian minorities live beyond its borders in Kosovo, FYROM, Montenegro and Greece.
Albania can expect visa regime liberalization with the EU member states next summer, he said.
He said the main reason for Albania’s failure to receive a visa-free regime with the EU was its delay in issuing biometric passports and controlling the borders.
Solyom emphasized that Hungary will support Albania as much as it can in the process of its fast integration into the EU and the visa liberalization.
Albanian officials expressed gratitude to their guest for Hungary’s support for Albania in its NATO integration and the EU integration process.
They also expressed the willingness for intensification and further strengthening of the bilateral relations in the future.
The Hungarian president appreciated highly Albania progress as a result of the reforms in many fields and assured all that Hungary would support Albania with all its potential on its way toward fast EU integration and the visa liberalization.