Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says the country is ready to support Albania to continue its reforms to improve people’s quality of life and integrate into the European Union (EU).
Sanchez made the remarks on Monday at a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama in Albania’s capital, Tirana, after a meeting.
Albania is the last stop of Sanchez’s Western Balkan tour, which took him also to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
The prime minister said that Spain and Albania should strengthen ties in the judicial sector as well as in infrastructure, tourism and energy.
The two countries signed a bilateral agreement on a joint investigation group to combat international organised crimes.
Sanchez also met Albanian President Bajram Begaj on Monday.
Earlier, the EU started membership negotiations with Albania and its neighbouring country, North Macedonia, with the first inter-governmental conference between the EU and the two countries, in Brussels.
Albania signed stabilisation and association agreement with the EU, 16 years ago.
In June 2014, it received the status of a candidate country for the EU.
The European Council decided to open negotiations for Albania’s EU membership in 2020. (Xinhua/NAN)