Albanian business group denounces Macedonia’s issuing visas to Albanians

TIRANA, Jan. 21 – Konfindustria, the association of Albanian businessmen, denounced the Skopje decision on issuing visas to Albanians through its embassy in Tirana and no longer allow issuing visas at border crossings.
The association said such a decision should be seriously considered by Albanian authorities who should increase their efforts to improve the link to Kosova and speed up work ob the road link currently being constructed.
Konfindustria also appealed to all Albanian official, political and private institutions to support the fastest possible construction of the Durres-Morini road link through re-allocation of funds to that direction. Konfindustria said that the negative consequences of the visa issue with Macedonia will caused increased costs of commercial exchanges with Kosova which passes through Macedonia.
“It should not be allowed that strategic interests of Albanians in Albania and Kosova and their physical connection remain in the hands of foreigners. Rather, urgent steps should be undertaken to minimize such consequences resulting from the limiting decisions (of Macedonia),” according to a statement.