Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, welcomed in a meeting the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Croatia, Damir Krstičević, who is paying an official visit to our country.

The discussion between Minister Bushati and the Croatian senior official was focused on the progress of bilateral political cooperation, the geostrategic significance and the common Euro-Atlantic values that are manifested on both countries' commitment to a secure and stabilized region, oriented towards the alignment with NATO and the European Union. In this context, the ministers valued the ongoing work on the completion of the Strategic Partnership Statement document, which will spring shortly with the signing by the high level officials.

Minister Bushati emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the field of defense and partnership within NATO, which only a few days ago marked the 9th anniversary of the two countries' accession to the Alliance. He briefed the interlocutor on our expectation for a recommendation to open accession talks in the Commission's Country Report, to be published this month, as well as the support of the recommendation from EU member states, as a sustainable investment for the irreversible process of reforms in Albania and the democratic stability of the region. From his part, Krstičević highlighted Croatia's overwhelming support for our country's European path, including the key momentum of opening of negotiations. 

Referring to the security challenges in the region and the contribution of the Western Balkan countries to regional and European stability, the two Ministers focused on the need to increase interaction and undertake new initiatives within the Trilateral Croatia-Albania-Montenegro and the Adriatic Charter.