Greece says it will lobby on behalf of Albania’s European integration efforts

TIRANA, May 1 – Greece, which holds the European Union presidency this first half of the year, has repeated it will continue to support Tirana’s efforts in the integration into the bloc.
The latest comments of support were made by visiting Greek Parliament Speaker Evangelos Vasileios Meimarakis and the country’s defense minister in Tirana.
“Among the Greek presidency’s objectives is that Albania obtains the EU candidate country status within June,” said Meimarakis during his meetings with Albania’s top officials. “We will do our best for it to become an EU candidate within our EU presidency.”
Meimarakis met with President Bujar Nishani, Prime Minister Edi Rama, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta and other top officials to share the view that relations between Albania and Greece are in good shape and will advance as an expression of the will of the two countries and peoples. Furthermore, Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli met with visiting Greek Defense Minister Fotini Gjenimata. Speaking as two NATO members both top officials discussed about Albania’s efforts in modernizing the armed forces through its reforms.
Gjenimata stressed that both Albania and Greece continue to remain peace and stability factors in the region.