Albania gets the unanimous support of OSCE member states for its candidacy to chair this important organization in 2020. The decision was formalized today during the 25th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan. Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati, who participated in the proceedings of this meeting, said that this is the greatest foreign policy achievement, after Albania’s NATO membership, in the framework of multilateral cooperation. Albania is now at a crucial stage of contributing to the European security architecture, being in the chairmanship position of this organization. The Albanian OSCE Chairmanship, as a Western Balkans region country, was preceded by four European Union member states.
Next year, starting from 1st of January, Albania will be part of Troika of the OSCE Presidency, along with Slovakia, which takes over the Presidency in 2019 and Italy which is closing its chairmanship. In this context, Bushati expressed the country’s commitment to strengthening peace and stability in our region and the OSCE as a whole.
“It extends from Vancouver to Vladivostok, as result, while exercising our responsibilities first in Troika and then in the OSCE leadership, it will test not only the political and diplomatic capacities of our country, but also our ability to interact with all member states of this considerable organization, with partner countries, with autonomous institutions operating within the institutional framework of the OSCE which in one way or another have a positive impact on the OSCE sphere” said Minister Bushati.
Bushati stated that Albania’s commitments will start mainly in the Balkans by exercising responsibility as a member of the Troika: “This is a great decision for Albania, a victory for our foreign policy, for our constructive course in the Western Balkans, in Mediterranean region”.
Greeting Statement by Minister Bushati after the support for the OSCE Presidency in 2020
I am very happy with the unanimous support that OSCE member states have given to the Albanian candidacy to preside this important Organization in 2020. Starting from January 1st of the next year we will become part of the Troika along with Slovakia and Italy, thus starting our engagements mainly in the Balkans, as we take on our responsibility as a Troika member.
This is a great decision for Albania; it is a victory of our foreign policy, of our constructive course in the Western Balkans, in the Mediterranean. I can say without a doubt that this is the biggest victory of our foreign policy after Albania’s membership to NATO, OSCE is an organization with a European Mediterranean dimension, with a Euro-Atlantic dimension and with a Eurasian dimension. It extends from Vancouver to Vladivostok, as result, while exercising our responsibilities first in Troika and then in the OSCE leadership, it will test not only the political and diplomatic capacities of our country, but also our ability to interact with all member states of this considerable organization, with partner countries, with autonomous institutions operating within the institutional framework of the OSCE which in one way or another have a positive impact on the OSCE sphere.
Albania was one of the last former communist countries of the world that joined the Organization and our presence in the OSCE from the first day until today has generally benefited from the OSCE presence in the process of democratization and reformation of Albanian institutions, the organization has been a participant in the process of democratic state consolidation. Now Albania is entering a crucial phase, the phase of contribution for the security architecture of European as it chairs the Organization.
I would like to express my gratitude to all OSCE member states, partner countries, affiliated institutions, especially the Italian Presidency who had a crucial role along with Albania’s strategic partners.