site.btaUPDATED Presidents of Bulgaria and Albania Mark High Point in Political Dialogue

Presidents Rumen Radev of Bulgaria and Bajram Begaj of Albania met in Sofia on Thursday during the latter's official visit at Radev's invitation. The visit marks a high point in the two countries' intensive political dialogue in the year of the 110th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of their Good-Neighbourliness Treaty.

Sofia's relations with Tirana rest on a strong historical and cultural bond, Radev said, emerging from the meeting.

He reiterated Bulgaria's support for Albania's European path and praised the reforms in the Western Balkan country.

According to Radev, Bulgaria and Albania are connected not only as allies in NATO but also in a deep relationship of friendship, trust and cooperation. They share a common vision for the Balkans' development based on the European principles of good-neighbourliness and cooperation.

As NATO allies, Sofia and Tirana have a shared responsibility for the stability, security and free economic development of the region, Radev said, thanking his counterpart for his country's commitment to the NATO multinational battlegroup in Bulgaria. He expressed appreciation of bilateral security and defence cooperation in what is an important time for Europe and the world. The Bulgarian leader noted that security is essential for the successful development of the economy, education, culture, science and technology.

Radev went on to discuss transport, energy and digital connectivity. He insisted on the completion of Corridor 8, which, he said, is of strategic importance. He urged the two countries' transport ministries to keep working for a direct air service between Sofia and Tirana.

The Bulgarian minority in Albania plays an important role in bilateral relations, Radev said. He described it as a bridge that strengthens mutual confidence. He thanked the Albanian authorities for the official recognition of the Bulgarian minority and for giving its members the freedom to express their own identity, culture and tradition.

Radev reiterated Bulgaria's support for Albania's European path and commended the country's reforms. He said that over the last two years Albania has emerged as a leader in the Western Balkans with its clear geopolitical decisions in favour of the common European security policy.

EU enlargement should be based solely on the candidate countries' own merits; it should not be influenced by geopolitical developments or become hostage to domestic political fighting in individual EU member states, Radev argued.

Asked by a journalist whether Albania can be decoupled from North Macedonia in their accession to the EU, Radev noted that the two candidate countries are practically following different paths to membership of the bloc. He said Skopje is still expected to provide constitutional guarantees for the rights of the local Bulgarian community by adding it to the list of state-forming peoples. Each country has its own EU negotiation framework, he added.

For his part, Begaj described Bulgaria as a traditionally good partner to Albania. He said this country is the sixth most important source nation of foreign direct investment in the Albanian economy and the third most important one within Southeastern Europe. The guest noted that his current visit demonstrates very clearly the friendly relations which the two countries have always maintained despite their differences.

The visiting president expressed Albania's willingness to cooperate closely with Bulgaria both bilaterally and in the context of European integration. He thanked Sofia for its support to mitigate the effects of the devastating earthquake in 2019.

Begaj linked the traditionally good bilateral relations to the presence of a Bulgarian minority in Albania and an Albanian minority in Bulgaria. Preserving their cultures and traditions is beneficial for the two countries' progress, he said. He also thanked for the support for infrastructure projects in the southeast of Albania.

The guest called for deeper economic cooperation and more intensive commodity exchange. He expressed appreciation of Bulgaria's lobbying for the inclusion of Corridor 8 into the Trans-European Transport Network.

He said Albania and Bulgaria share the view that the Western Balkans would be a strategic investment for the EU, and the process of integration must continue unabated. He said accession to the EU is the largest strategic project for Albania.

For 35 years, Albanians have dreamt of joining the EU, and they are working hard to meet the membership criteria, Begaj said. He noted that Albania's performance receives high marks at every international meeting. According to him, Albania's accession to the EU is important for peace, security, sustainable development and prosperity. Tirana will remain a high-achiever in this field, Begaj vowed. He called Bulgaria "the strongest supporter" of Albania's accession to the EU.

Radev and Begaj discussed European security in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They concluded that the EU should stay focused on the Western Balkans as a major priority. They noted that Bulgaria and Albania are active in supporting the Berlin Process, and Bulgaria stands with Kosovo in its bid to join regional and international organizations and to be a regional factor for peace and security.

The visiting president went on to thank Sofia for contributing to the KFOR mission in Kosovo and supporting its role for peace and stability in Southeastern Europe. He said he plans to visit an Albanian battlegroup in the Novo Selo training area in Southeastern Bulgaria.

He outlined Albania's accomplishments in the UN Security Council over the last two years with respect to Ukraine. The future of the Western Balkans in the EU and "the influence of third countries" also featured on the agenda of his talks with Radev.