President Milanović Meets with the President of the Republic of Albania and the President of the Republic of North Macedonia

The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović met in Tivat with the President of the Republic of Albania Bajram Begaj, and subsequently with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. The meetings were held ahead of the beginning of the summit of heads of state of the Brdo-Brijuni Process being held this year in Tivat, Montenegro. The bilateral talks addressed a number of regional and international topics with an emphasis on strengthening bilateral relations, the stability of South East Europe and Euro-Atlantic integrations.

In his talks with the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, President Milanović confirmed Croatia’s support for Albania’s accession to the European Union. The importance of the continuation of the excellent bilateral cooperation between Croatia and Albania, where there are no open issues, was emphasized, as a contribution to stability and security in the region of South East Europe. Likewise, the two presidents agreed that recognition of the independence of the Republic of Kosovo from states that have not yet done so would contribute to the stability of the region.

During the meeting with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova – with whom President Milanović met officially for the first time since she was elected to office earlier this year – European integration was the main topic of their conversation. The President of North Macedonia confirmed that her country remains firmly on the path to EU membership despite all the challenges that stand in the way, and President Milanović gave Croatia’s full support for the continuation of North Macedonia’s European path.

Both meetings concluded with a message on the necessity of further strengthening cooperation between the countries of South East Europe, with special emphasis on security issues and economic cooperation, which will be discussed by the heads of state at the summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan