TIRANA, July 17 – Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that financial support for the countries of the Western Balkans and the opening of integration paths in the European united market, without waiting for EU membership, were the focus of the informal meeting with the heads of the countries of the region and the Commissioner for Enlargement in the European Union, Oliver Varhelyi held in Tirana on Monday.
During a press conference, Rama said that the informal meeting was focused on the EU’s New Financial and Economic Support Plan for the Western Balkans.
Albania will host the first summit of the Berlin Process in October this year and according to Rama its target is the continuous facilitation of interaction between the countries of the Western Balkans. Rama said that it is intended that this also serves to take an important step in WB’s relations with the EU.
“We have tried to coordinate with others to create another approach, in parallel with the progress of the negotiation process, to have extra financial and economic support for the countries of the Western Balkans. This is something that has started to take shape and a New Plan of financial and economic support for the Western Balkans is being prepared,” he said.
Asked about the areas where Albania will seek more support from this plan, Rama said that “we cannot talk about concrete things yet because this plan is under discussion.”
Answering a question if he was sorry that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, was not at this meeting, Rama answered by saying that “everyone was invited and whoever wanted came, and whoever couldn’t, didn’t come.” /argumentum.al
