Albania’s President Ilir Meta visits Hungary

President János Áder met on Wednesday Ilir Meta, his Albanian counterpart, for talks on Albania’s European integration, issues around migration, as well as opportunities in the area of water management cooperation.

After the talks, Áder said Hungary continues to support Albania’s European Union accession “not only because of good bilateral relations but also because stability in the Western Balkans is crucial to European security”.

Concerning migration, Áder said that one of the newly emerging migration routes traversed Albania, and an increase in migration pressure was expected. “If that happens, the EU must not leave Albania or any other country impacted in the Western Balkans on their own,” the president added.

On the topic of bilateral economic cooperation, Áder said coordination between the waterworks of the two countries’ capitals had so far been successful.

Though Albania is rich in water, a part of its water supply has become polluted over the past decades.

Therefore the country is now seeking technologies capable of protecting its aquatic environment that have already proven effective in Hungary, Áder said.

Meta expressed his gratitude for Hungary’s support for Albania’s EU accession.

The Albanian president said his country’s European integration would help advance peace and stability in the Balkan region.

Albania is doing everything in its power to meet Europe’s expectations concerning its handling of mass migration, Meta said, adding that his country was cooperating with the EU, the bloc’s border management agency Frontex, as well as its neighbouring countries. Albania’s aim is to make its borders safe not just for itself, but also for its neighbours and the whole of Europe, he added.

Meta also thanked the Visegrad Group comprising Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia for its help, adding that the alliance of the four countries served as an example to be followed by the Balkan region.

The president said there was still room for intensifying trade relations further. He voiced hope that the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MKIK) would provide funding through its Albanian office to promote Albania’s economic progress.

As regards opportunities in water management cooperation, Meta said

Albania wants to launch major joint projects with Hungary in the country, noting the high level technologies and know-how Hungary has to offer in this field.

As we wrote before, Presidents of the Bucharest Nine group support the policy of “Open Doors” in NATO in terms of helping countries in the Western Balkans join the organisation, read more HERE.

Orbán, Meta discuss border protection, EU enlargement

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Wednesday met Albanian President Ilir Meta in Parliament to discuss the two countries’ developing bilateral ties, border protection and the enlargement of the European Union in the Balkans, Bertalan Havasi, the prime minister’s press chief, said.

Last year saw a breakthrough in the relations between Hungary and Albania, the parties agreed at the meeting. Bilateral trade turnover jumped by 35 percent to 114 million euros, and a direct flight between Budapest and Tirana was launched, they said.

Hungary supports Albania’s EU accession with all means at its disposal, Havasi cited Orbán as saying.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI