Relationships between Albania and North Macedonia have a particular characteristic compared to the relations between our country and many other countries. This is, first of all, explained by the fact that an Albanian population lives in North Macedonia, which, as regards the number and share it has in relation to the total population of North Macedonia, is a state-constituent element. In addition to this highly important fact, it should be taken into account that Albania and North Macedonia share a long (land and water) border line.

Albania was one of the first countries to recognize North Macedonia after it broke  away from the FRY.

Overall, the relationships between both countries have been considered as very good and having the possibility to advance in the future. Politically speaking, the fact that between both countries there was intensive exchange of political visits of all ranks should be mentioned, which constitutes a solid basis for expanding and strengthening the cooperation in numerous other bilateral, regional and further areas of cooperation, for matters of a mutual interest.

As regards the economic relations, we noticed that their level does not respond yet to the high level of political relations between our countries. Furthermore, Albania and North Macedonia have no open political problems between them.

In various meetings between the ministries of economy and economic chambers of both countries, the lack of infrastructure (which makes it even more necessary that both countries cooperate for Corridor VIII, highways, and railway lines), lack of frequent and continuous economic forums, as well as the lack of the opportunity to jointly introduce themselves in the markets of third parties, lack of the custom tax unification between both countries, etc., are ascertained to be obstacles that hinder the further increase of economic-trade exchange between both countries.

According to the statistical data, the market exchange between Albania and North Macedonia, until the end of 2014, reach approximately 90 million Euros, import constituting approximately 54 million Euros, and export from Albania towards North Macedonia constituting approximately 36 million Euros. What is considered to be positive is the fact that the export during the first 11 months of 2014 increased from 30 million Euros to 36 million Euros compared to the same period in 2013 or approximately 20 %, thus narrowing the misbalance between the export and import, which for many years has been approximately 2:1 in the favor of the Macedonian party, showing narrowing tendencies.

We notice, however, that this volume of exchange remains low for both countries, which results in Albania’s not being ranked even in the list of 20 countries with which Macedonia has the highest exchange of trading volume.

Albania and North Macedonia cooperate in a series of areas of mutual interest, such as energy, transport, water economy, and environment, culture and tourism, agriculture, education and science, justice, protection-security and fight against terrorism, etc. Both parties have all the opportunities to expand this cooperation in the future.

Albania and North Macedonia are concretely committed to working for the materialization of the economic relations between them. We highlight the fact that a series of agreements in the economic field, which constitute the necessary legal framework for the development of economic cooperation, have been approved and signed by both countries.

Both countries have expressed their interest to further complete the legal framework with new agreements in the identified fields. Another reason for deepening the bilateral economic cooperation is considered to be the holding, in the near future, of the regular session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Technical, and Scientific Cooperation.

The completion of the entire necessary legal framework of cooperation in all fields between both countries has a special importance, considering the very attractive climate that the Albanian government has created pertaining to the development of foreign investments, for encouraging the North Macedonian investors to invest in Albania.

A special concern for our country has been the sensitivity for the respect of the rights of Albanians living in North Macedonia and their equal treatment like the other citizens of this country. With this regard, Albania has shown its interest and consistently requested that the Ohrid Framework Agreement be fully respected; such agreement regulates the relationships between the two main population groups in North Macedonia, Macedonians and Albanians, increases the understanding between them and serves as a basis for the democratic stability in the country and the purpose of North Macedonia for integration in the Euro-Atlantic structures, the EU and NATO. In this regard, we congratulate with the North Macedonain establishment for the achivements of the rights of Albanians for the use of national language, Albanian national flag, employment, budget, etc.

Albania and North Macedonia have a good cooperation also in the regional initiatives, such as the SEECP, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Central European Initiative (CEI), MARRI (Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative), etc.

The commitment and cooperation in the context of these initiatives have served the promotion of a good neighborly relations, security and regional stability, ensuring of political support for the common aspirations related to the integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, progress on the path of democracy and reforms, implementation of law and human rights, ensuring of financial support of our projects in development fields having priority.

The increasing importance of this cooperation dimension makes the coordination of common stances, use of potentials, prior consultations and coordination of stances in the SEECP, CEI, and RCC, etc. ever more necessary, aiming at transforming such practice into a norm in all the multi-lateral activities.

Albania has continuously followed a constructive and moderated policy in the region; it has established and maintained good relations with all the countries; it has promoted the enlargement and deepening of regional and bilateral cooperation in all fields in favor of the mutual welfare and interest of our peoples and countries, including North Macedonia.

A special place is taken also by the cooperation of our country with North Macedonia in the context of the European integration as well as the cooperation for the integration to NATO. Albania supports the accession of North Macedonia to the NATO, viewing its accession as very important for the strengthening of the security and stability in the region.

In addition, both countries have a very good cooperation also in the context of “Adriatic Charter”, which developed positively at both political and military level, and significantly influenced the strengthening of security in the region, and also between our countries themselves.

In the South-eastern part of Albania, in Liqenas Municipality (Pustec) and Vërnik in the Devolli District, there is a presence of the Macedonian minority. Members of this minority live in other places (Bilisht, Korça, Pogradec, Tirana, etc). According to the data of 1989 census, this minority is composed of 4697 persons or 0.14% of the total number. According to the data of 2011 census, the number of persons who have self-declared their Macedonian ethnicity is 5512 or 0.20 % of the total number.

The Albanian State has created the opportunity for the Macedonian population to be educated in its native language – Macedonian, and have its own schools. Opportunities have been created in the curriculum and lesson plans for the students coming from this minority to study the history, traditions, and culture of their nation.

The Macedonian minority is organized in some associations and created the “Macedonian Alliance for European Integration” Party. This minority has also its own representatives at the local government (communes, municipalities, commune assemblies, municipal assemblies, etc). As regards the representation in the political life, this minority has a representative in the State Commission on Minorities, and persons belonging to this minority have been employed in various state sectors, police structures, etc.

In March 2013, the Albanian Parliament approved the change of the name of Liqenas Municipality into “Pustec Municipality”. Recently, upon the new territorial organization which has taken place in our country, Pustec became a municipality.

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