PM praises visit to Albania, "prepares response to Thaci"

PM praises visit to Albania, "prepares response to Thaci"

"Many times we fought wars... caused each other problems, and I think it is important to look to the future together, to both want to become part of EU," Vucic said, and added that both countries want better mutual relations.

The prime minister told the Serbian state broadcaster RTS he will call on Serbian investors and businessmen to visit Albania, but also try to arrange with representatives of Albania how to make investments and invite Albanian investors to invest in Serbia.

"I think that the volume of trade exchange, which now totals EUR 109 million, can be increased to 500 million in the next ten years," Vucic said, adding this would be a great success for Serbia.

"I also think it is very important in political terms that we have showed we can talk to those with whom we were two separate societies in the past period - and that even when we have differences that are not minor we can talk in a civilized way and resolve problems," the Serbian prime minister stressed.

Pillars of stability

Aleksandar Vucic met on Wednesday in Tirana with Albanian President Bujar Nishani and stressed that the two countries should be the pillars of stability in the region, and work towards achieving a lasting peace and economic prosperity.

Vucic and Nishani discussed the Albania-Serbia relations and their cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, economy and security.

Nishani extended welcome to the Serbian prime minister and commended the efforts to develop friendly relations between the two countries.

This visit is important for the friendship and understanding between our nations, said Nishani, according the Serbian government's media office.

The Albanian president added that Serbia and Albania share a difficult history, but that they are not the only two countries in Europe with a burden of the past.

There are more such examples in Europe, and for that reason it is important to keep working on the strengthening of regional ties and provide support to regional cooperation projects, Nishani pointed out.

Vucic has previously met with Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta.

Preparing response

Aleksandar Vucic said late on Wednesday in Tirana that "Serbia is preparing a response to an announcement by Kosovo Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci

that Pristina will soon bring a genocide claim against Serbia."

Vucic told RTS that he "does not understand such a statement by Thaci," and that it is "not based on facts."

"I have to admit I do not understand that... Mr. Taci is not exactly a lawyer, and he just does not understand as to what is genocide," Vucic noted.

He said he believes "Thaci's statement is an attempt to draw attention from the establishment of a special court the decision on which should be made on Thursday or Friday."

Asked "whether he takes that statement seriously," the prime minister said that he "takes everything very seriously," and then added:

"We too are preparing our response, but this is not responsible enough for me to take it into consideration too seriously."