Albania, Macedonia discuss Balkan Benelux idea

TIRANA, July 2 – Forming Balkan Benelux among Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro with purpose of unifying the market and extending it on eight million citizens, reduce transportation expenses and use Durres and Bar as alternatives to the Thessaloniki port were some of the topics discussed in a meeting in Tirana this week between the Macedonian Minister of Economy Valon Saraqini and the Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
“Macedonia and Albania have excellent political relations, but they must intensify the economic cooperation. The potential for increase in the trade exchange which during the first four months of the year reached only 25 million dollars is large”, stated Saraqini after the meeting.
Saraqini says the aspiration is for trade cooperation to increase, especially with the countries that are direct neighbors due to the proximity, the reduction of the transportation expenses, nourishing the good-neighbors relations, familiarity of the goods, the harmonization with the European ordinances and others. “Such concept of cooperation are the Scandinavian countries, for example, as well as the countries of Benelux in the free flow of services, human resources and capital. Regional connection without political omen, but as higher form of economic cooperation is positive and serves the acceleration of the Euro-integration”, he stated.
During the talks with Berisha special attention was put on the cooperation in the tourism, infrastructure, construction of roads, the mineral resources and the energy.
“The Albanian companies are interested in investing in Macedonia, especially in hotel construction and insurance. Last year, the investment of the firms from Albania presented 2.5 million Euros,” said Saraniqi.