Skopje, 17 January 2024 (MIA) - North Macedonia's Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi met Wednesday with Albania's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani, who is paying an officisal visit to the country. 

Xhaferi pointed out that North Macedonia and Albania share common goals and interests at foreign policy level in terms of membership in the European Union, cooperation within NATO and deepening of regional cooperation. According to him, the intensity of bilateral visits at all levels is one of the best indicators of the excellent relations between the two countries, the Parliament said in a press release.

"The Parliament Speaker stressed that the two countries support each other in all fields, and having completed the screening process, they are ready to speed up their European integration. He underlined the exceptional importance of interconnection, noting that the construction of Corridor 8 remains a priority in cooperation. Xhaferi mentioned North Macedonia's Chairpersonship with the largest regional security organization OSCE in 2023, and the current Chairpersonship of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which represents an opportunity for additional meetings and further improvement of cooperation, both between the two countries and between the two parliaments," reads the press release. 

Minister Hasani said that the excellent bilateral relations between Albania and North Macedonia are characterized by intense political dialogue and cooperation in a significant number of areas of mutual interest. Commenting on European integration, Hasani pointed out that both countries showed special commitment and achieved impressive results in the screening process, with mutual support and assistance. He noted that with the successful Chairpersonship of the OSCE and other regional initiatives, North Macedonia has proven itself as a serious international partner. In addition, he expressed hope that the upcoming elections in the country will not bring about a change in the commitment to the European future.

"Hasani congratulated Xhaferi, who has been proposed as the first Albanian prime minister in the history of North Macedonia, noting that this is a confirmation of the progress the country has made, as well as the constructive role of Albanians in North Macedonia in the political processes and stability of the country and the region," the press release adds.

Xhaferi and Hasani said additional efforts are needed to deepen economic cooperation, which lags behind the real possibilities of the two countries. They voiced confidence that the long-standing partnership between North Macedonia and Albania, as well as the positive trend in the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in several spheres of mutual interest, will continue to improve.

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia