TIRANA – The Ambassadors of the Visegrad Group countries (V4) accredited in Tirana had a working meeting with President of Albania Ilir Meta at the Palace of Brigades on Monday with issues related to the coronavirus pandemic in the focus.
As it is reported by the presidential press office the Ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, which make up the V4, shared information with Meta on the situation of COVID-19 pandemics in each country. The interlocutors stressed the need for a gradual and careful opening of borders, as well as the easing of strict measures that would give breath and impulse to the economy in general. A special topic was the continuation of the positive trend of recent years of tourist flow from these countries to Albania.
President praised the political relations and friendly bilateral cooperation between Albania and V4, and the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on further strengthening of the cooperation in the frame of the V4-Western Balkans format.
In addition Meta thanked the V4 top envoys for the assistance that these countries have promised and given Albania to face the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
V4 is well known of its unwavering support of Albania’s EU accession and President Meta praised the support and determination of these countries regarding the European perspective of Albania and WB.
Expressing gratitude for the March 26 decision of the European Council on the opening of the accession of negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia, as well as the reconfirmation of the European perspective for the two countries from the last Zagreb Summit, Meta stressed that Albania should remain focused on a timely fulfillment of all the conditions that the Council has set for the First Intergovernmental Conference on the opening of EU membership negotiations. No date has been set on this step and such an issue was not discussed at Zagreb Summit something which has been criticized by some political analysts. Although Tirana and Skopje did not make any official comment diplomatic sources have confirmed that they were displeased about this.
Given the latest events in Albania President Meta briefed the Ambassadors on the ongoing political developments in the country, expressing concern that the aggravation of the political climate does not serve the progress of the European perspective. /argumentum.al
