Albanian President Bajram Begaj to Visit Slovakia on Wednesday

Bratislava, 16 May (TASR) - Albanian President Bajram Begaj is scheduled to arrive in Slovakia on Wednesday (20 May) for an official visit at which he'll be received by Slovak head of state Peter Pellegrini, the President's Office told TASR on Saturday, noting that this will be the first-ever visit by an Albanian president in Slovakia's modern history. "The main subjects of discussion between the presidents will be Albania's European integration, economic cooperation, and the security agenda in the Western Balkans region. Slovakia supports Albania's full membership in the European Union and emphasises the importance of merit-based enlargement," they stated. The discussion will also cover the situation in Kosovo and security challenges in the Middle East. The economy will also be a topic of discussion. "Despite excellent political relations, trade remains at approximately €131 million annually, which doesn't reflect the potential of both economies. Promising areas for further cooperation include energy, infrastructure, digitisation, waste management, and tourism. Albania is also playing an increasingly important role in the diversification of energy sources for Europe, particularly thanks to the development of the LNG terminal in the port of Vlora," added the office. During his trip, Begaj will also meet with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD). am