President Begaj is received by the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar
The President of the Republic, H.E.Mr. Bajram Begaj was received today in a state visit by the President of Slovenia, Mrs. Nataša Pirc Musar. After the official ceremony organized on this occasion, as well as the extended and tête-à-tête meetings between the two delegations, President Begaj and President Pirc Musar held a joint press conference.
In his statement, President Begaj considered Slovenia an important regional and European partner, so he expressed special gratitude to President Pirc Musar for the essential and continuous support that this country has given to the process of Albania’s integration into the European Union in particular, as well as to the enlargement process with all the countries of the Western Balkans, in general.
The Head of State shared with President Pirc Musar the opinion that due to recent geopolitical developments, but also thanks to the contribution of Slovenia and the Group of Western Balkan countries, today we have a new approach of the European Union regarding the enlargement process with the countries of the region. “The integration process is no longer considered simply as a technical issue, but also as a strategic choice and vision”, President Begaj said.
President Begaj further added that: “We must continue to cooperate closely bound by our NATO partnership and common strategic interests in our region and beyond.”
Special attention was paid to economic cooperation and the need for its better promotion.
“We note with pleasure a growing trend of this cooperation, especially in the field of trade in goods and services, where tourism undoubtedly occupies a very important place. I assured President Pirc Musar that Albania is interested in more Slovenian investments in Albania” – President Begaj further stated. According to the Head of State, the restoration of the direct Ljubljana-Tirana airline can give a greater boost to cooperation in the field of tourism, but also to the interaction of businesses.
President Begaj also thanked President Pirc Musar for the conditions created for a better integration of the Albanian diaspora in Slovenia, thanks to the approved legal framework and the opportunities to preserve the national identity, language, and native culture. Further cooperation in the field of education and culture, the war in Ukraine, or the support given by Slovenia to overcome the consequences of the 2019 earthquake, were also in the attention of the two presidents.