SEE Security Monitor
SEE Security Monitor
Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki is travelling to Tirana today at the invitation of his Albanian counterpart, Ilir Meta.
Milososki will also meet Albanian President Bamir Topi, Parliament Speaker Josefina Topali and Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The planned meetings will tackle the enhancement of bilateral cooperation, Euro-Atlantic integration and regional cooperation, with special emphasis on economic ties, the Macedonian Foreign Ministry has announced.
Milososki and Meta are set to sign a bilateral cooperation protocol that, among other elements, envisages collaboration between the foreign service education departments of the two countries.
FM Milososki will also address the Albanian Diplomatic Academy and visit Macedonian community representatives in the neighboring country.
Roughly one quarter of Macedonian citizens are ethnic Albanians, a fact which observers see as potentially favorable for business between Albania and Macedonia. That potential is currently hampered mainly by bad infrastructure connections. Despite good intentions, the two countries still have no railway or highway linking them.
Both countries share a common goal of joining the European Union as soon as possible.
Albania and Macedonia were set to enter NATO together in 2008, but due to Greece’s objection over Macedonia's name, Skopje’s accession was blocked.
Source: BalkanInsight.com