President Türk and Albanian hosts discuss cooperation between the two countries

Tirana, Durrës, 19.2.2009  |  press release

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, on the second day of his official visit to the Republic of Albania, laid a wreath at the Statute of Mother Albania at the Martyrs' Cemetery in the Albanian capital of Tirana. Later in his visit, President Türk met with the Albanian Prime Minister, Dr Sali Berisha, with whom he discussed a number of issues. They tackled the details of the successful Albanian transition process and the process of Albania's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. President Türk used the opening address, among other things, to inform the Albanian Prime Minister of Slovenia's ratification of Albania's NATO accession protocol. Prime Minister Berisha thanked the Slovenian President for his support and expressed his conviction that this was a historical moment and a significant step taken by Albania on its priority road towards EU integration. They also spoke about Albania's wish to become a candidate country for EU membership and exchanged views on the situation in the region.

Prime Minister Berisha outlined Albania's achievements in the implementation of reforms, which were given positive assessments by the European Commission. According to Dr Berisha, the most important steps were taken in the area of public tenders, public administration saving schemes and the fight against corruption and organised crime. Owing to new measures, the level of security in Albania reached the average EU security level, which applies both to personal security and the security of foreign investments. In Albania, the level of corruption has drastically decreased and is among the lowest in the region, said the Albanian Prime Minister, who continued by presenting the foreign investment scheme and scheduled economic reforms to the Slovenian President.

President Türk and Prime Minister Berisha then discussed the possibilities which the representatives of the Slovenian economy have at their disposal for making business arrangements in Albania. The Albanian Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the arrival of the Slovenian economic delegation and indicated some of the most interesting areas for Slovenian investment. In doing so, he particularly pointed out the development of tourism along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, as well as the areas of energy, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. According to Dr Berisha, the Albanian Government will support potential Slovenian investors in those areas falling within its competence.

The Albanian Prime Minister attached particular importance to the construction of motorways and other infrastructure, as well as to the planned construction of 400 hydroelectric plants. They also spoke about the diversification of energy resources, whereby the Albanian Prime Minister presented the plan of Albania's participation in the anticipated construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

The planned pipeline could rival other gas pipelines in the region, linking gas fields of the Caspian Basin, especially in Azerbaijan, with Western Europe. He pointed out that several countries were interested in the plan, including Turkey, Croatia and Switzerland, where the pipeline is intended to end. Prime Minister Berisha also referred to the joint project to construct a nuclear plant in cooperation with several other countries in the region.

Dr Türk then held a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, Jozefina Çoba Topalli; they discussed good relations between the two countries, cooperation between the Slovenian National Assembly and the Albanian Parliament, and the importance of the recent establishment of parliamentary friendship groups between the two. The Speaker outlined several core tasks of the Albanian Assembly, focusing in particular on the forthcoming parliamentary elections, which, thanks to new legislation, will be a historic landmark in the development of democracy in Albania. They also discussed the tasks of the Parliament with respect to reforms being implemented by Albania on its path to joining the European Union, and issues regarding the adoption of the law on lustration. The Speaker also highlighted the liberalisation of the visa regime as one of the Parliament’s central objectives. She explained that, because of the historical isolation of Albania in the previous century, this issue was of particular symbolic importance to Albanians. Dr Türk and Ms Topalli analysed the situation in the region, agreeing that it has been improving in Kosovo as well. After the talks, Dr Türk had a meeting with members of the parliamentary friendship group between Slovenia and Albania.

The Slovenian President then also had a meeting with the Mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama. They discussed specific features of Tirana’s architectural and urban development, which his giving the Albanian capital the potential to evolve into one of the most dynamic and interesting European cities. At the end of the talks, the Mayor presented Dr Türk with the honorary key to the city of Tirana, thus conferring on him the title of citizen of honour of Tirana. Dr Türk concluded his official visit by attending and addressing the Albanian-Slovenian business forum in Durrës, organised by the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Albania.