Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia for European Affairs, Bujar Osmani.

The two interlocutors focused on the need to foster bilateral and regional cooperation, particularly within the commitment of the two governments at the Pogradec Meeting to build Albanian-Macedonian relations in a new qualitative stage and the construction of a European region in accordance with the commitments of the Summit of Trieste and the aim of approximation with the European Union. Emphasis was put on the mobilization of joint efforts for the advancement of infrastructure, energy, economic and trade cooperation projects. Scanderbeg's Nationwide Year was considered an opportunity to identify the national heritage not only as an identity vector, but a shared European value between our two countries.

Minister Bushati welcomed the achievements of the reform agenda undertaken by Prime Minister Zaev to accelerate Macedonia's membership in the European Union and NATO in the framework of Plan 3-6-9 and strengthen good neighborliness. He highlighted in this context the successful completion of the legislative process on the Law on the Use of Languages, which provides for a wider use of Albanian, better access of citizens to services, greater involvement of Albanians in Macedonia in good governance, development policies, and building an open society and a state based on European values. "The approval last week in Sobranie of this act is an important achievement for Albanians as a state-building population and a step forward for the democratization and strengthening of the Euro-Atlantic path of Macedonia. We are ready to assist with the human and technical capacities and infrastructure for the practical implementation of the Law, "said the head of Albanian diplomacy.

Minister Bushati and Deputy Prime Minister Osmani also spoke about regional co-operation in the light of the European perspective of the Western Balkans. Minister Bushati assured that Albania, as an important actor of strengthening regional cooperation, will continue to support Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration. In the framework of this semester's forthcoming developments, the two interlocutors shared the view that the EC's expected strategy and the Bulgarian EU Presidency constitute a moment of special importance for revitalizing and promoting the prospect of enlargement in the Western Balkans.