Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati attended the Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Croatia, Albania and Montenegro, which took place today in Split, Croatia.

The initiative aims to be transformed into a cooperation and promotion platform of regional stability. The Trilateral Meeting focused on enhanced political dialogue among the countries, discussion on cooperation in the fields of security, economy, infrastructure, transport, environment, tourism and energy, dwelling mainly on the coordination among the three countries so that the implementation of the Adriatic-Ionian pipeline become a priority for the EU countries.

This prosperous cooperation is considered important and adds significant value to the overall development of our countries and their successful participation in integration processes.

On focus of the meeting was also the security dimension of the fight against terrorist threats, in defending our common values and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights.

In his intervention, Minister Bushati praised the already consolidated cooperation within this trilateral format and reaffirmed Albania’s role in strengthening the cooperation among our countries in areas of common interest. “What we share is our Euro-Atlantic alignment and the common European perspective. Our countries have made a long way to the Euro-Atlantic integration processes, where we have make a significant contribution and still continue to contribute to the democratic stability of our region. We share the common view that cooperation in Adriatic Europe should be strengthened through concrete projects in the field of infrastructure, transport, energy, environment and tourism. The next meeting of this trilateral format will be held in another city of the Adriatic Europe, in Durres” - Minister Bushati voiced.

The trilateral meeting among Albania, Croatia and Montenegro is a good example of how countries with a single-minded approach join their efforts to provide the common regional agenda with more synergies and consolidate the position against internal challenges and those imported from conflicting regions. The three ministers agreed on close consultation and joint approach in preparation for the next NATO summit, and discussed the possibility of conducting trilateral meetings with the new US administration, as an opportunity for a coordinated approach in coping with the challenges that our region is facing as well as for the consolidation of Euro-Atlantic course of our countries.

In a special ceremony, organized within Minister’s Bushati visit in Croatia was inaugurated the opening of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Albania in Varazdin. The diplomatic corps accredited in Croatia, local officials, as well as the Albanian Community in Croatia attended the ceremony.

The opening of this consulate will serve to further enhance bilateral relations in many different areas and it will be an important center for strengthening the national identity for the Albanian community living in Croatia.

In his statement during the ceremony, Minister Bushati thanked the Croatian authorities for their cooperation and underlined that the opening of this Consulate not only will serve to strengthen the old relations between our two countries but will also be an open door for the Albanian community living and working here. It will also serve as an opportunity to intensify economic and commercial relations.