Acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj had a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland on the margins of the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

In the course of the meeting, both the conversational partners shared the view that the strengthening of the pan-European character of the Organisation, and the tackling of the institutional, political, and financial issues call for the joint contribution of all the Member States.

Acting Minister Gent Cakaj informed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of Albania’s involvement in profound and important internal reforms in the framework of the strengthening of the democratic institutions, and the rule of law, as well as the protection of and respect for the human rights, to which effect Albania has received assistance and support from the Council of Europe.

Likewise, Acting Minister Cakaj filled him in on the work of the Government of Albania so as to achieve a number of foreign policy goals and priorities, including European integration, and OSCE Chairmanship in 2020, as well as obtain a non-permanent seat on the Security Council.

Referring to the Council of Europe’s contribution to the Balkan region, with the Secretary General Jagland having played an active role, Acting Minister Gent Cakaj said to his conversational partner that Kosovo’s membership of the Organisation is instrumental in protecting the values of the Organisation, and developing the standards for the fundamental rights, and constitutes an added value to the Organisation overall.

Acting Minister Cakaj thanked the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Jagland, whose second term in office runs out this upcoming autumn, for his contribution to the management of the Organisation, and the tackling of issues and challenges facing it by pursuing reformist policies.

The Secretary General thanked Acting Minister Cakaj for the positive role Albania has played, and Acting Minister’s considerations about the Secretary General’s report on the Council of Europe’s future challenges, and congratulated him on the reforms Albania has carried out.