The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Madam Atifete Jahjaga, was received today with the highest state honors on the official visit to the Republic of Albania, by President Bujar Nishani.
The official visit of President Jahjaga to Albania comes after the invitation of President Nishani and today she was welcomed at the Palace of Brigades with the honor guard and the intonation of the state anthems of Kosovo and Albania.
President Jahjaga initially had a tête à tête meeting with President Nishani and then accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Mr. Memli Krasniqi and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs. Hykmete Bajrami, met with the delegation led by President Nishani in whichalso present was the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management, Mr. Edmond Panariti.
President Jahjaga and President Nishani discussed about the issues of deepening cooperation between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Albania, in areas of common interest and in particular through infrastructural projects and projects of economic development, then about the European integration processes and the building of a legal state and the strengthening of order and law, about the cooperation in the field of security and particularly in combating extremism and radicalism, they also talked about the regional cooperation and the European perspective of the entire region, with particular emphasis on the European path of Kosovo and Albania.
President Jahjaga and President Nishani, after the joint meeting, gave also press statements and responded to questions from journalists.
Below we are publishing the full statement of President Jahjaga:
I am extremely honored for the so majestic, so cordial and so warm reception I have received here in Tirana today. I would like to cordially thank you, President Nishani, for the invitationand your effort, for inviting me to be here in Tirana todayand for all your possible efforts to make this visit of mine in Albaniasuccessful.
I wholeheartedly want to thank you for the continued support that Kosovo and its people have had for years from You, President, and from all the institutions of the Republic of Albania. On behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, I say thank you.
President Nishani,we met very often, at conferences and summits in different places, here in Albania, as well as in various countries of the world. We met in Vlora and also in Tirana. We conversed very often and long about the developments in our countries but also about the developments in the region. We also talked about the possibilities of progressing our countries, and about the possibilities of the overall development of our societies.
We have met very often, but this is my first official visit with your invitation, President Nishani – in the Republic of Albania – with which we share so much. We have completed a number of joint infrastructure projects, approximating our citizenseven more and facilitating more cooperation between our countries. Now the time has come to help each other more, to strengthen even more our economies and at the same time the expansion of economic cooperation in the region.
The Albanian state has remained faithful to the joint values for a democratic, advanced and comprehensive society and has supported the making of Kosovo a state, supporting us in all areas, especially in the integration processes. Your support, President Nishani, and the support of the Republic of Albania for Kosovo, has helped our involvement in mechanisms, initiatives and in all processes to contribute to the construction of good neighborliness and establishing a new relationship between all the places and all the countries of South East Europe.
Both our countries have shown that the cooperation in the region is not only a necessity for our paths towards the European Union, but is a guarantor of the development of our societies and certainly of security, peace and stability not only in the region but also beyond. Our countries in southeastern Europe must now show a bit more work, more concrete activities for empowered work, not only to help each other, but also in the integration process, which is the main target not only of Kosovo and Albania, but of all the Western Balkan countries.
President Nishani, let me once again thank you heartily for the invitation and for the so warm and magnificenthospitality.