President János Áder said Hungary continues to support Albania’s accession to the European Union, as it sees the integration of the Western Balkans as crucial for the security of the European Union.
After a meeting with his Albanian counterpart, Ilir Meta, President Áder said the two countries “have gone through the same crisis” in the past 18 months. By now, coronavirus-related restrictions have been lifted in both countries and “life has returned to normal, giving us the opportunity to talk about the future as well as potential economic cooperation,” he said. Potential areas of cooperation are in defence development, energy supplies and water management, he said. Hungary has already launched a comprehensive reform of its defence capabilities, an endeavour which Albania has also embarked on, offering further opportunities for cooperation, President Áder said.
President Áder said climate change also affects both countries. Albania, which originally built its energy production on hydro energy, is looking for alternatives, as rivers are becoming unreliable sources of energy in the region, he noted. Hungary and Albania are planning to build a 10MW solar plant there, he said.
Meta thanked Hungary for its support of Albania’s EU integration efforts, and called Hungary an important partner of the Western Balkans. Hungary and Albania will celebrate the centenary of diplomatic ties next year, he noted.