At Meeting with Albanian Foreign Minister, President Milanović Confirms Croatia’s Support for Albania’s Accession to EU

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Elisa Spiropali. The main themes discussed at the meeting in the Office of the President of the Republic were bilateral relations between the two states, regional cooperation and negotiations on Albania’s membership in the European Union.

Minister Spiropali informed President Milanović of Albania’s previous efforts on its path to EU membership and the results of the negotiation process. She underlined that Albania opened all the negotiation chapters with the EU and expects negotiations to be accelerated during which Albania will demonstrate its readiness to join the EU.

President Milanović confirmed that Albania can count of the support of the Republic of Croatia as well on his personal support in the continuation of negotiations with the EU. The President of the Republic reminded that Croatia has so far firmly and openly supported Albania on its path to the EU, and reiterated his stance whereby Albania needs to join the EU as soon as possible, namely, that it should have already been accepted into EU membership.  

Accompanying the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania were the Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the Republic of Croatia, Donika Hoxha; the Director of the Directorate for Political and Strategic Issues, Gazmend Barbullushi; the Head of the Department of Regional Affairs, Ilir Melo; the Minister’s advisers: Alteo Hysi, Rezarta Mataj and Enilda Miftari as well as Alma Kasa and Arjana Toçilla from the Embassy of the Republic of Albania to the Republic of Croatia.

Attending the meeting alongside President Milanović were the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Albania, Zlatko Kramarić; the Head of the Cabinet of the President, Bartol Šimunić; and the Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy, Neven Pelicarić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas