site.btaAlbania's President Tells Top Bulgarian Diplomat that His Country Relies Much on Bulgaria's Support for EU Integration

Tirana/Sofia, July 26 (BTA) - Meeting with the visiting Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva here Wednesday, Albanian President Ilir Meta said his country relies much on Bulgaria's support for its EU integration efforts. "We rely on you very much and we appreciate the efforts of Bulgaria for the enlargement of the EU into the Western Balkans. We want to do our homework the best way we can," President Meta told Zaharieva as he welcomed her. Details of the meeting were made public by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.

Zaharieva told Meta that she is happy to be the first EU minister meeting him after his inauguration, and wished him a successful tenure. She said that Bulgaria and Albania have fine relations with political dialogue ongoing at all levels. She said, though, that more efforts need to be put in enhancing economies ties.

Zaharieva said that it is a big chance for the Balkans that in the course of two years the EU Presidency will be held by four countries which support enlargement: Bulgaria, Austria, Estonia and Romania.

The Bulgarian top diplomat said that reforms have been worth Bulgaria's while because EU membership has had a direct effect on incomes, on the infrastructure and economic growth.

Meta said that, indeed, during his latest visit to Sofia he saw a big change from previous visits.

Zaharieva said that some of the criteria Albania will have to meet, have to do with rule of law, the administrative reform, the combat against organized crime and human rights.

She raised the issue of the recognition of the Bulgarian minority in Albania.

Despite a European Parliament resolution calling for such recognition, a government bill that is about to be moved to Parliament fails to mention a Bulgarian minority.

"We have a common history and we believe that our minority can be a bridge between the two countries," said Zaharieva.

President Meta promised to look into the matter and make sure "a flexible solution" is found. He said that anybody can freely identify him or herself as a Bulgarian in Albania and nobody will be discriminated for it.

Zaharieva recalled an episode from the Albanian history: the Albanian National Revival which brought about the independence of the country, actually started in Bulgaria with the establishment of Albanian societies and the publication of Albanian-language newspapers with the support of the Bulgarian authorities. She also said that Bulgarian people will never forget the contribution of the Albanian migrants for the economic growth of the newly liberated Bulgaria at the start of the 20th century.