Energy minister on trip to Albania

Serbia's Mining and Energy Minister Petar Skundric today met with Albanian Economy, Trade and Energy Minister Dritan Prifti in Tirana. The two discussed improvement of the two countries’ economic cooperation and especially cooperation in the field of energy. Energy minister on trip to Albania Skundric and Prifti told a joint news conference after the meeting that today’s visit productive and constructive and that it included friendly talks about the two countries' economic ties. The two ministers also announced that the Memorandum on Economic Cooperation of Serbia and Albania will be signed within the next few months, during Prifti’s visit to Belgrade, and pointed out that the document would be a basis for further cooperation. “Although this is our first meeting, we’ve spoken openly, which points to a need for our countries to intensify cooperation in all areas of the economy, and energy has the most important place in this cooperation,” the Serbian minister pointed out. He emphasized that Serbia and Albania should have a series of joint projects in the field of energy, as well as initiate regional projects, “which are also important for third parties and for Europe as a whole”. “The potential for economic cooperation are ten times what is currently taking place between Serbia and Albania,” Skundric said, and added that future economic cooperation should also contribute to better cultural ties, friendlier relations between the two countries. He told his Albanian counterpart that Serbia was planning on becoming the region's leader in the field of energy in the next five to seven years, and added that Serbia and Albania should participate in joint gas infrastructure projects. His host said that Skundric's visit was “historic and productive”. “We’ve talked about how to build cooperation which both countries will benefit from, and we’ve identified in which fields we want to cooperate in the future, such as energy and road infrastructure,” Prifti explained. He said that Serbian investment was welcome in all economic sectors in Albania, that his country was interested in “natural gas interconnections” with Serbia, and that it would “consider the offer”. While in Tirana, Skundric also met with the country's prime minister, Sali Berisha. A statement after the meeting said that they discussed ways of improving economic cooperation and that the meeting was “constructive, despite the differences the two countries have regarding the important issue of Kosovo”.

Energy minister on trip to Albania

Škundrić and Prifti told a joint news conference after the meeting that today’s visit productive and constructive and that it included friendly talks about the two countries' economic ties.

The two ministers also announced that the Memorandum on Economic Cooperation of Serbia and Albania will be signed within the next few months, during Prifti’s visit to Belgrade, and pointed out that the document would be a basis for further cooperation.

“Although this is our first meeting, we’ve spoken openly, which points to a need for our countries to intensify cooperation in all areas of the economy, and energy has the most important place in this cooperation,” the Serbian minister pointed out.

He emphasized that Serbia and Albania should have a series of joint projects in the field of energy, as well as initiate regional projects, “which are also important for third parties and for Europe as a whole”.

“The potential for economic cooperation are ten times what is currently taking place between Serbia and Albania,” Škundrić said, and added that future economic cooperation should also contribute to better cultural ties, friendlier relations between the two countries.

He told his Albanian counterpart that Serbia was planning on becoming the region's leader in the field of energy in the next five to seven years, and added that Serbia and Albania should participate in joint gas infrastructure projects.

His host said that Škundrić's visit was “historic and productive”.

“We’ve talked about how to build cooperation which both countries will benefit from, and we’ve identified in which fields we want to cooperate in the future, such as energy and road infrastructure,” Prifti explained.

He said that Serbian investment was welcome in all economic sectors in Albania, that his country was interested in “natural gas interconnections” with Serbia, and that it would “consider the offer”.

While in Tirana, Škundrić also met with the country's prime minister, Sali Berisha. A statement after the meeting said that they discussed ways of improving economic cooperation and that the meeting was “constructive, despite the differences the two countries have regarding the important issue of Kosovo”.