The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today Mr. Ilir Meta, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Macedonia.

President Ivanov and the President of the Albanian Parliament Meta exchanged views on the overall bilateral relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Albania, noting that the political relations mark positive trend of development, with continuous and fruitful political dialogue, and discussed the need to deepen the economic cooperation.

Both interlocutors concluded that the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Albania share the same foreign policy goals in the context of the European integrations, good neighborly relations and regional cooperation as key prerequisites for stability and prosperity of the region. President Ivanov and Speaker Meta agreed that the parliamentary cooperation can be further improved through intensification of contacts between parliamentary bodies and committees.

The meeting discussed the possibilities for cooperation between the two countries in the context of the EU integration, and the Macedonian side expressed expectation for active support of the Republic of Albania in terms of NATO membership.

The Macedonian President and President of the Albanian Parliament stressed the need for further promotion of the economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of trade, tourism and infrastructure, noting them as fields of common interest. The meeting discussed the need for a common commitment to accelerate the implementation of the ongoing infrastructure projects including road, rail and energy infrastructure within Corridor 8.