Tirana Times
TIRANA, Sep. 21 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha said this week his cabinet was doing his best to fight poverty in Albania, as he took part at the proceedings of the high-level meeting of the UN Millennium Development Goals which coincides with the ten-anniversary of setting of the goals.
He tried to present Albania as the most successful example of meeting these goals.
He also said that another major goal of his New York stay was to lobby, encourage and discuss with his counterparts and other foreign dignitaries Kosovo’s recognition in the context of the new climate created following the International Court of Justice advisory opinion in favor of Kosovo’s independence.
“I attended the United Nations High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals which is held ten years after the objectives were set. Leaders from all over the world have gathered here to assess the progress made toward achievement of these goals which target the fight to alleviate poverty and improve education, health service, social cohesion and sustainable development.”
He continued to say in an interview to the Albanian public television, TVSH, that “I’ll present Albania as the most successful example of achieving these goals as Albania is the only country that over a short period of time managed to separate itself from the country with low incomes into a country of middle incomes and it is currently qualified as a country of lower middle income status.”
He added, “Another major target is to lobby to encourage and discuss with my counterparts the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, especially in the context of the new climate created following the International Court of Justice advisory opinion in favor of Kosovo’s independence.”
Berisha also met with many world leaders, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. He said he was assured that Sarkozy would visit Albania in the future.
When asked if France could block the visa-free regime for Albania, Berisha responded “France is one of the EU founding countries, and I believe that if France carefully evaluates all the standards attained, Albania will enjoy its full support, and I think France upholds this stand, but it wants to be certain the standards have been met. However, every member country, not just France, wants it; they have taken a decision and following the commission of experts and three forwarded benchmarks by July, they are making an assessment and I expect we shall have a positive response.”
