site.btaAlbanian Daily News: Bulgaria Firmly Stands by Albania's EU Aspirations

Bulgaria firmly supports Albania's EU membership aspirations, Bulgarian Ambassador to Albania Ivaylo Kirov says in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News. "Bulgaria has always supported Albania's accession to the EU and has taken an active stance in support of key decisions on your country's European path. We congratulate Albania on the start of accession negotiations, which clearly recognize the concrete progress made in the previous years," he said in the interview published earlier in December.

"Bulgaria and Albania are good friends and trusted partners. We share a common vision for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," the diplomat also said. 

The ambassador praises the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Albania, and calls it "unwavering", especially when it comes to security policy, which is the most important policy for any country. 

Further, Sofia's top diplomat to Tirana says that the ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are a cause for concern. "Stability in the region is crucial not only for the Western Balkans, but also for Europe as a whole. The EU has an important role to play, and recent initiatives suggest a more proactive and unified approach to conflict resolution. However, mediation requires trust and willingness on the part of all parties involved."

Asked to comment the return of President Trump to the White House, Ambassador Kirov says that the US has historically played a stabilizing role in the Western Balkans, and it was his hope that this would continue under any administration. A renewed focus on stability, economic development, and Euro-Atlantic integration of the region could be beneficial, he adds.

"Bulgaria stands ready to cooperate with both the US and Albania to ensure a peaceful and prosperous Western Balkans," says Ambassador Kirov.