“Albania and North Macedonia as NATO allies reaffirm mutual support and share the common position that the future of the region belongs to Euro-Atlantic integration”.

That is the statement issued by the Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi during his visit to Skopje, where he met with the President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski, the Speaker of the Assembly Talat Xhaferri, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani and his counterpart Radmila Sekerinska.

During the meeting with the Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska, the importance of intensifying the joint activities was underlined, but also the possibility for reviewing and adapting the legal framework of this cooperation to the current one.

The two ministers shared the same position to increase bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of education, training and education, civil defense, but also developments in the field of technology and innovation, where a regional approach to the DIANA project within NATO was mentioned. 

A special focus during the meeting was placed to the interaction in regional initiatives, US-A5, SEDM, etc., but also in the Regional Center for Public Relations.

Ministers Peleshi and Sekerinska stressed their support for the open door policy in the region. On his part, the Albanian Minister thanked his counterpart from North Macedonia for the positive and active approach to Kosovo.

In other meetings with key political leaders in North Macedonia, the current political situation there, the Euro-Atlantic perspective of the two countries as well as current developments in the security and defense environment in the Western Balkans were widely discussed.

Minister Peleshi thanked Xhaferri and Osmani for the constructive approach to the issues that affect the Albanians in North Macedonia and for the role that they, but also the entire Albanian factor has for the future of the state and the prosperity of all citizens of North Macedonia.

/Klara Ruci/