N. Macedonia and Albania sign several cooperation memos and agreements, an icon symbolically returned
Skopje, 14 November 2022 (MIA) – As part of the session between the governments of North Macedonia and Albania, the ministers of the two countries signed several agreements and memoranda at a ceremony in Skopje on Monday, with the aim of deepening mutual cooperation and jointly dealing with current challenges.
One of the signed documents, the agreement for returning illegally exported icons to the country of origin, materialized the excellent cooperation between the countries and between the Ministries of Culture. Under the agreement, the procedure for the return of the icons to the country will begin after the criminal proceedings in Albania are completed. The document was signed by the Ministers of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska and Elva Margariti, who symbolically returned one of the icons to her Macedonian counterpart. “This is a really big year for our citizens, especially for the Macedonians, seeing that at the beginning of the year, the MOC was accepted into communion with all other Orthodox churches, then we started the EU accession negotiations, which was followed by the signing of the Frontex agreement, where the Macedonian language was for the first time together with all other languages in the EU, approved by all 27 members, and today something that has been worked on for the past years - 21 icons that belong to our monasteries are returning to our country,” said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, pointing out that this is a really great gesture on the part of the Ministries of Culture of the two countries. Finance Ministers Fatmir Besimi and Delina Ibrahimaj signed a memorandum for understanding and cooperation in the area of public finances and the accession process to the EU between the two ministries. The two ministers also signed a Protocol between the two ministries of finance and the customs offices regarding the implementation of the agreement for the mutual acknowledgement of the authorized economic operators and the authorizations of the ministers between the governments of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania, as well as the Implementation Protocol for establishment of joint border crossings between the two countries in line with the Agreement signed in June 2021, on the Qafasan/Qafë Thanë border crossing. In the context of connection in the development of the economy, a memorandum of understanding was signed for the development of the road connection between the two countries, expressing will for cooperation to achieve the goal of connecting the entire Corridor 8 by 2030. Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi and Albanian Deputy PM and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku signed a memorandum on cooperation in the energy sector, as well as a memorandum on the protection of enterprises. This is one of the important memoranda signed today as part of a commitment to ensure stable and sustainable energy sources. According to PM Kovachevski, the purpose of the memorandum is to create a framework for cooperation, for the preparation and implementation of joint energy projects, focused on improving energy security in the region and reliable energy supply. In the area of infrastructure, Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski and his Albanian counterpart Belinda Balluku signed agreements for the delegation of services in air traffic and for international water transport in Lake Ohrid, as well as a memorandum for cooperation in the development of road connections. Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj and Minister of State and Chief Negotiator of Albania with the EU Majlinda Duka signed a memorandum for cooperation on issues related to EU integration. The Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Bujar Osmani and Olta Xhaçka, signed a memorandum of understanding between the two ministries on cooperation in the area of diplomatic training, while the Ministers of Defense, Slavjanka Petrovska and Niko Peleshi signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation in the area of defense. The Ministers of Interior, Oliver Spasovski and Bledar Çuçi, signed an agreement between the two governments on the establishment of joint working teams in the area of security, as well as a Protocol between the two Ministries of Interior on the manner of performing or conducting joint border checks at the Qafasan/Qafë Thanë crossing. Spasovski posted on Facebook that these are two acts by which the two countries reaffirm future more intensive cooperation and success in the joint fight against organized crime, strengthening of cross-border cooperation and implementation of many joint actions. According to Spasovski, the Protocol will facilitate travel of passengers across the borders and shorten the wait time at the state border, while the agreement on the establishment of joint working teams in the area of security is aimed at promoting mutual cooperation, particularly in the fight against organized crime. “The conclusion of the agreement would lead to direct cooperation between the two police forces, i.e. between their working teams that would be formed, in the direction of mutual exchange of information, implementation of coordinated activities, consideration of appropriate tactics and other actions related to crimes whose investigation is more than a necessary coordinated action,” said Spasovski. According to him, the Ministries of Interior of the two countries have excellent and successful mutual bilateral cooperation, which is at a very high professional, strategic and operational level. The mutual interest in the promotion and deepening of bilateral and operational international cooperation, Spasovski added, is expressed, among other things, through the commitment to improving good neighborly relations and developing regional cooperation, particularly in the field of cross-border cooperation, as well as the successful implementation of the implementation protocols of the Convention on Police Cooperation in SEE and joint participation in Regional Initiatives. Several memorandums and agreements on cooperation in the area of transport, digitalization, health, social policy, education, etc. were also signed as part of the joint government session.
