Greetings to everyone!

I would first like to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro for the warm reception, and the very productive meeting.

My visit to Podgorica today, as well as being confirmation of the excellent relations between our two countries, is indeed an expression of willingness to take our cooperation to a higher level than what has hitherto been the case.

Our countries have established excellent bilateral relations, and are actively taking part in the regional initiatives, in the course of which we have effectuated considerable and very effective cooperation. Both of our countries share the same ambition and geostrategic goal for accession to the EU, and they certainly are our allies in the framework of the Euro-Atlantic structures.

Today, my friend Srdan and I had the opportunity to discuss about all these issues in particular. For your information, I shall bring up some parts of our conversation.

We discussed how Government meetings could be rendered more effective and how to look for mechanisms instrumental in carrying out the agreements entered into, by our two Governments. Obviously, the work for the upcoming inter-ministerial meeting to take place later this year has just started.

We also discussed about the processes relating to our region, as well as our commitment so as to ensure an ever greater stability and more stable democracies across the region, highly appreciating in this aspect Montenegro’s support for Albania with regard to the accession negotiations to start this coming June. We also discussed about our commitments in the framework of the multilateral organisations, as well as the various forms of mutual support in terms of both Albania’s Presidency of the OSCE in 2020, and further processes our two countries have on their respective agendas.

I am indeed thankful for time you have taken to meet with us, and I shall make myself available to take all the questions that are of interest to you.

 Journalist: What is your comment on the use of Albanian national symbols during celebrations in Tuz, after the local elections?

 Acting Minister: We have supported the coalition of the Albanian parties in Tuz, and are very happy with their victory. We have certainly stated our position in favour of the attention due to the minorities, and as it came out of the discussions with the Minister, we need to translate such excellent inter-state cooperation into an ever-growing positive spirit at an inter-community level.

We will be meeting other Albanian parties today. On this occasion, we will express the willingness to fully cooperate with them. We consider that their victory was highly deserved, and perhaps it is an example full of encouragement regarding the necessity to bring about the unity of the Albanian factor.