“The success of any South-East European country is success for the whole region,” Rosen Plevneliev said today at a meeting he held with Lulzim Basha, mayor of Tirana and leader of the Democratic Party of Albania. During the meeting the Head of State reiterated Bulgaria’s support for the European prospects of the Republic of Albania.
“The direction our region will develop in is beyond doubt, what is important is how fast the Western Balkan countries will manage to enter united Europe,” the President said. Rosen Plevneliev was adamant that the establishment of strong institutions and the Albanian public’s espousing the “European Union” cause will give a new impetus to the country’s European integration.
Bulgaria and Albania will pool efforts to implement more bilateral projects which will encourage the cultural exchange and trade between the two countries. “One of the basic principles of the European Union is the freedom of movement and it should be accompanied by achieving the planned goals for connecting the countries from the region,” Lulzim Basha said.
We are ready to encourage the cooperation between the local authorities in Bulgaria and Albania, President Plevneliev told Lulzim Basha. The Head of State acquainted the mayor of Albania’s capital with the success the Bulgarian cities have achieved in modernizing the public environment transport, thanks to the improved utilization of EU funds. “Their effective utilization may speed up the implementation of any project on urbanization and Bulgaria is ready to share its experience,” Rosen Plevneliev said.
During the second day of his official visit to Albania, the Head of State laid a wreath at the Mother Albania monument. Later in the day the President visited the historic castle in Kruje, where Albanian national hero George Kastrioti Skanderberg lived, as well as the Ethnographic Museum in the town.