President Begaj’s Press Statement during his Official Visit to Austria
Honorable President Van der Bellen,
Dear Alexander,
I am pleased that you referred to Europe, not just the European Union, and I assure you that only Austria considers the Western Balkans as Southeastern Europe. Albania has been a part of Europe, is part of Europe, and I believe will be part of the Union in the future.
I am honored to visit Austria today, a historically friendly nation to Albania, and I deeply thank you for the warm reception extended to me and my delegation.
Exactly two years after your successful visit to Tirana in 2023, we meet again in Vienna with a full commitment to further enhance our cooperation and enrich the friendship between our countries and peoples.
I am delighted that today we had a very warm and friendly meeting. This is a testament to the excellent relations between our two countries and peoples, not only reconfirming our traditional friendship but also aligning on matters of Albania’s integration into the European Union, bilateral cooperation, and the challenges in the Western Balkans.
Albania and Austria share a special relationship that dates far back in history. This relationship has been crucial at key moments in the history of the Albanian state, which was also established with the help of friendly Austria. Today, our two countries continue this tradition with excellent relations.
Our relations constitute a partnership that strengthens day by day. To President Van der Bellen, I expressed appreciation for his unique contribution to enhancing and expanding our relations in all dimensions. We have an excellent political dialogue, share the same strategic interests, and maintain common Euro-Atlantic values.
With President Van der Bellen, we discussed Austria’s undeniable role in Albania and the region. We must ensure these strategic interests are reflected in joint actions for the future of a developed Albania, an Albania that is a member of the European Union, a secure and peaceful Western Balkans integrated into the European Union, and a region free from the influence of external actors.
During our conversation, I expressed pleasure over our excellent economic cooperation, which still has untapped potential. Austria remains a key investor in Albania, particularly in the banking, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Allow me to thank you for the investments to date and simultaneously invite Austrian investors to consider sectors such as tourism, agriculture, food processing, digitalization, environmental protection, and green development.
I thanked the President for the long-term financial aid from the Austrian government through the Joint Development Cooperation Strategy. We are particularly grateful to friendly Austria for assistance in judicial reform, the implementation of national anti-corruption policies, and support for the vetting process in the justice system. We also appreciate Austria’s support for expanding free legal aid services through the opening and revitalization of primary legal aid service centers.
I cannot overlook tourism. Albania has seen significant tourism development recently, which I greatly value, and Austrian citizens choose to visit as a tourist destination every year. I had the opportunity to thank President Van der Bellen and the Austrian government for their contribution, as one of the most important donors supporting the reform of the education and vocational training system in my country.
Dear President, you mentioned the vocational technical school in Shkodra. I assure you that the students who told you they would come to work in Austria after finishing school are reconsidering, given recent developments in Albania, its economic development. They think that by staying in Albania, they can achieve the same economic results as in Austria because by staying at home and in their environment, they will also enjoy the benefits of their schooling. Nevertheless, the example of the vocational high school in Shkodra is a model to be followed by other cities in Albania. I assure you that Tirana and Saranda have also started opening vocational schools.
Moreover, I want to mention the cooperation between universities. For 30 years, we have had cooperation between the University of Shkodra and the University of Graz. Also, the Agricultural University of Tirana has an agreement with BOKU University in Vienna.
We are very grateful to Austria also for bureaucratic simplification, which seems simple in technical terms, such as the recognition of driving licenses. This is very tangible in practical terms because people no longer need to take respective tests but have the same license validated both in Austria and Albania. Therefore, thank you for this achievement as well.
In today’s meeting, we also discussed Albania’s integration into the European Union, which remains a very important strategic priority, and I am very pleased to find understanding from President Van der Bellen.
Albania has made rapid progress in the last two years. Based on our progress, we are very optimistic about opening all negotiation chapters this year and also our national goal for membership by 2030. Although membership will take time, we are very convinced because the process, which transforms society, governance, the economy, and brings direct benefits to all our citizens, is what matters most.
A good piece of news, as President Van der Bellen also mentioned, for Albania is the organization of the next meeting of the European Political Community, which will be held in Tirana, a meeting that is very important for us and I believe we will host it very successfully on May 16th this year.
Albania appreciates Austria’s leadership in the credible process of accelerating expansion into the European Union, ensuring that candidate countries reap concrete benefits along the path to integration. Here I express my appreciation for the President, the Austrian government, and the parliament for their commitment and their continued reconfirmation of Austria’s support for Albania’s future in the European Union, whether through public statements or high-level engagements.
Reflecting this commitment is also the initiation by Austria of the diplomatic group “Friends of the Western Balkans,” a diplomatic coalition aimed at strengthening the EU’s engagement with the region. During today’s meeting, I had the opportunity to appreciate Austria’s strategic vision for keeping the Western Balkans firmly anchored on the European path. This will produce not only regional stability but also reduce geopolitical risks from external influences.
In today’s meeting, we also discussed Kosovo, and I sincerely thanked the President for Austria’s role and contribution to Kosovo’s independence, the strengthening of the new state of Kosovo, new recognitions, and its membership in regional and international organizations. We also discussed developments in the Western Balkans, where I emphasized that the Euro-Atlantic perspective is the only way to guarantee peace, stability, security, reconciliation, and sustainable development.
Austria has supported the integration of Western Balkan countries by offering technical, financial, and diplomatic assistance, encouraging reforms, stability, and promoting dialogue and cooperation among states.
Dear President, historically, Austria has been an educational destination for the Albanian elite, some of whom, like the talented actor Alexander Moisiu or the innovative engineer, Karl Gega, lived and contributed in this country. Today, there are more talented Albanians distinguished in fields such as art, music, sciences, and others. Albanians are well-integrated thanks to their merits, but I appreciate the positive Austrian approach to their successful integration. Austria, and particularly Vienna, has long become a significant center of university education for young people from Albania. I am confident that the knowledge acquired by them, by young Albanians, will contribute to the strengthening and development of Albania and the strengthening of friendly relations between our two countries.
In conclusion, allow me to express my deep gratitude for the hospitality to Albanians in your country and assure you that they will be ambassadors for enhancing the level of relations between Albania and Austria. Also, I thank you personally for the warm hospitality you reserved for me! It was a special pleasure to meet you again, my friend, this time in Vienna.
Thank you very much!