Minister Tanja Farhun visits Tirana – talks will focus on Albania’s integration into the EU

Foreign Minister Tania Farhun will also meet with Albanian President Bajiram BegayemTo the Prime Minister of Albania Eddie J Rama and the Speaker of Parliament Eliso Spiropali, The ministry announced. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the good political relations and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. The visit will also be an opportunity to understand the domestic political situation in Albania and expectations for the negotiation process with the European Union. In addition, Fahun and the Albanian Foreign Minister will also exchange views on the current regional situation and assess regional cooperation.

Slovenia hopes to transform its good relations with Albania into economic cooperation, which is not large in scale, with annual trade exceeding 100 million euros, but opportunities are mainly in the fields of tourism and agriculture. Over the past five years, Slovenia has allocated 1.3 million euros to Albania within the framework of development cooperation. Minister Fajon will visit the Vocational Education and Training Center for Safe Food, which was also established with Slovenian assistance.

The minister will first attend the annual meeting of Albanian ambassadors as the guest of honor and address the participants. According to Boštjan Anžin, a journalist from Slovenian Radio, the hosts are optimistic about joining the EU and Slovenia is helping them as much as possible, including providing technical support.

Albania faces more obstacles to EU accession, Brussels demands progress in several areas

Earlier this year, Slovenia also proposed, together with Germany, the introduction of a qualified majority at the start of negotiations, which could speed up accession talks. At the last EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, the European side presented a $6 billion regional growth plan and expected to accelerate reforms. In Brussels, they hope to make more progress in justice, stability and independence of institutions, rule of law and media freedom.

Deteriorating relations with Greece could also be an obstacle after the mayor of the Greek Albanian municipality of Himare was convicted and jailed for vote buying. Freddie Bellaryand then he became a Greek MEP from prison. According to Anzin, a month ago, the Albanian parliament also called on Greece to finally lift the 84-year-old martial law.

Albania will also hold parliamentary elections next year. Edi Rama’s ruling socialists and the opposition often protest against the authoritarian leadership, one of the leaders Sali Berisha But he was under house arrest on corruption charges and they were uncooperative.