Albania strengthens ties with Montenegro, Macedonia

TIRANA, April 8 – Albania is strengthening ties with its smaller neighbors– Montenegro and Macedonia– which is a good prerequisite for its integration process into the European Union.
Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto made a visit to neighboring Montenegro where he met with his counterpart Milan Rocen in Podgorica to discuss bilateral cooperation.
Montenegro and Albania already share some common objectives– Albania is a NATO member and requesting European Union candidate status, while Montenegro is an EU candidate and has asked to become a NATO member.
Albanian top officials are looking for more opportunities to collaborate. Projects like improvement of road infrastructure, border management, and projects that involve Buna River, Shkoder Lake and trans-Adriatic pipeline were discussed at the meeting.
Minister Haxhinasto said that the Albanian community in Montenegro had a positive effect on the country’s development and it also provided a good basis for bilateral relations between the two countries.
Montenegro and Albania traditionally enjoy good bilateral relations which have been additionally enhanced by the top-level contacts.
Haxhinasto also met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic, who reiterated his government’s determination to continue to empower good neighborly relations at all levels.
Albania has signed agreements with Montenegro and Macedonia for the travel of their citizens only with biometric ID cards. With Montenegro this agreement entered into force two weeks ago.
Citizens of Macedonia and Albania also started last weekend to cross the countries’ border with IDs.
That is considered crucial as the communication between the citizens is facilitated.
Last week Albania’s Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli also made a visit to Macedonia trying to further strengthen bilateral ties.