Venizelos: We support Albania's accession to the EU

During his meeting with the Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati in Tirana, Evangelos Venizelos expressed Greece’s intention to help Albania in its accession negotiations with the European Union by the end of the semester of the Greek Presidency.

Venizelos said that Greece has already advocated the issuing of candidate status country to Albania since last December. "The two countries are determined to work together in order to achieve this objective. Albania is already a member of NATO, its European perspective is something we are particularly interested in, as an element of stability and perspective for the Western Balkans."

He added that discussions with Bushati but also with Prime Minister Edi Rama, "were extremely friendly, concrete and practical."

Although as he said there are some issues at the bilateral level, he added that "we have made a very substantial preparation that allows us to give definitive solutions to all pending issues, guided by respect for international law and good neighborly relations."

"We are both NATO members, friends and allies. We are two countries associated with partnership," Venizelos noted, saying that Greece offers its friendly services so that Albania can join the EU.