Athens, 20 November 2009
Mr. Meta: It was a great pleasure today for me to receive – during his official visit to our country – the new Alternate Foreign Minister of Greece, Mr. Dimitris Droutsas, who is carrying out a tour of the countries of the Western Balkans.
And the focus of our talks today was precisely the acceleration and consolidation of the EU accession process of the countries of the Western Balkans. You know that there is a new government in Greece today, that of Prime Minister Papandreou – a government that is promoting a very important strategy for accelerating the process of the accession of the countries of the Western Balkans to the European Union by 2014, the anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, which started here in the Balkans and spread wide from here.
We are very happy about this strong momentum that Greece and Prime Minister Papandreou want to impart to the accession of our countries to the European Union. And this is nothing new. The foundations of our countries’ courses to the EU were laid at the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit. And it is precisely this vision of the European Union, which took on substance at the Thessaloniki Summit, which has helped us to find ourselves currently at an advanced stage in our relations with the European Union.
You are aware that this past Monday the Foreign Ministers of the EU member states approved Albania’s application for accession candidate status, a fact that puts Albania in a new and final phase of its European course. You know that the European Parliament has passed a resolution supporting the liberalization of the visa regime for the citizens of our countries. And the commitment to liberalize the visa regime also originates from the Thessaloniki Summit. Our country has met almost all of the criteria to achieve the liberalization of the visa regime within the coming year.
I thanked Alternate Foreign Minister Droutsas for the ongoing political support that Greece gives to Albania and the other countries of the Balkans, and we agreed to have – in future – closer cooperation as to the assistance we are expecting on this matter. You know that Greece is an excellent partner of Albania not only for the peace and security of our region, but also for European integration. Greece – due to its support – is also one of the main factors in our current NATO membership.
At the same time, Greece is one of our main partners in the economic and commercial sectors and many other sectors. This coming week, the third Greek-Albanian economic forum will be held in Tirana, within the framework of the Economic Forum for Enterprises. The special committee on economic cooperation will convene soon so that we can give impetus to Greek investments and investors in Albania, because this is of great importance for Albania’s growth and the specialization and further enrichment of our bilateral relations.
I also assured Mr. Droutsas of the Albanian government’s commitment to, support for and constant care of the Greek minority in Albania, which not only plays a very important role in the further development and democratization of the country and our society, but is also a vital bridge of friendship between the two countries and peoples. I also thanked the Alternate Foreign Minister for the very open programme, the new Greek government’s and Mr. Papandreou’s integration programme regarding the conditions of Albanian immigrants in Greece, the facilitations and full integration into the social life of the country and their movement back and forth across the border. I am convinced that this first visit after Mr. Papandreou formed the new government will give new momentum to our bilateral relations and our European perspective.
Mr. Droutsas: I thank the Foreign Minister of Albania and good friend Ilir Meta very much for the warm words of welcome. It is of course a great pleasure to be visiting Albania today. My presence here today underscores the importance to Greece of our bilateral relations and our support for Albania’s European course. We are now close allies in NATO, while the referral of Albania’s accession application to the European Commission shows symbolically that another major step has been taken on this country’s European course. We are very satisfied at Albania’s progressing steadily with its reform efforts.
There are obstacles, of course. There are of course a few things that need to be improved. But what satisfies us is the commitment of the whole of the country’s political world to the European course and the broad adoption of the principles and values of our united European family. And it is important that these changes be promoted in society as well, so that they have tangible results in the day-to-day lives of citizens, irrespective of ethnicity or faith. More democracy means transparency, equal opportunities, justice. Protection of minority rights means respect for the dignity and diversity of each citizen.
Albanian society is changing, and Greece is at its side, supporting it in this endeavor. On the bilateral level, our relations are becoming ever deeper, more sincere and more direct. We have created major capital in trust and friendship, and this enables us to look to our common future in Europe with great confidence. In this, the Greek national minority in Albania is a bridge of friendship between to two peoples, just as the Albanian economic migrants living in Greece are a bridge of friendship, working hard to secure a better life, and, through their hard work, contributing to the economic development of their own homeland.
But the main subject of our talks today with Mr. Ilir Meta was Albania’s European perspective and the integration of the region of the Western Balkans. As Mr. Meta said earlier, Greece and Greek Prime Minister Papandreou have submitted a new proposal, a new political idea, for the further promotion of the European accession course of the countries of the Western Balkans. We have said that we want to impart fresh momentum to this course, and we believe that we can develop this momentum by setting a target date for the European course. This target date is 2014, a date that is particularly symbolic because it is the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, an event that I believe can be seen as the source of open wounds that we are still dealing with here in the Balkans.
The idea is very simple, but intensely symbolic. The European Union is essentially a peace project – a very successful peace project – and we believe that the European Union needs to step up to its responsibilities to the Balkans. The Balkans are an historical and integral part of Europe. So the European Union can contribute decisively to peace and stability here in our region.
And that is why Greece’s message is a very simple and very clear message: The future – the immediate future of the Balkan region, including Albania, of course – lies in Europe, in United Europe. In pursuing this goal, Greece can, must and will play a leading role in these developments. Greece will be a good friend and partner to all the countries in the region – including Albania, of course – throughout this course.
Once again, I express my great pleasure at being here in Albania today, here in Tirana, and, my dear Ilir, I look forward to our constant and exceptional cooperation on the issues that we discussed.
Journalist: A question for Mr. Meta. You are a new government. You have an agenda before you – we are aware of an agenda for Greek-Albanian relations. What will follow in the coming months?
Mr. Meta: Without a doubt, we have a clear agenda, a thorough agenda, in all the sectors we agreed upon with Minister Droutsas. We will have very frequent contacts between the two sides to promote these relations on a higher level, through the further specification of the agenda in each sector. That is why I think these meetings will take place very soon and that the progress will be tangible and visible in all sectors. From security and combating illegal activities – which will increase the EU’s confidence in Albania, because it is the country’s responsibility – to great encouragement of Greek investments in Albania. Because we believe that there are reserves and potential that we have not capitalized on. Our relations cover every sector, and thus progress will be full scale in every aspect of these relations.
Journalist: A question for the Greek Minister. The Albanian Parliament has blocked the ratification process for the agreement delimiting the sea borders with Greece, because six different parties – from the right and the left – had recourse to the Constitutional Court, seeing this agreement as unconstitutional. Should the Court agree with this view, will Greek-Albanian relations be impacted negatively? And a question for Mr. Meta. What is the Albanian government’s stance on the Skopje name issue?
Mr. Meta: As we mentioned the Albanian Parliament – and I am a member, while you aren’t yet – it is a pleasure to see you, Mr. Blusi. I have heard a lot about you and a lot from you in the Gazeta Skiptare – misinformation, unfortunately, on the subject of the agreement on the borders between Albania and Greece. And I say this with complete conviction, mainly reading the Gazeta Skiptare these days – to which, with my approval, in a gesture of respect for both Albanian law and transparency with the news media, we provided in a transparent manner all of the actions of the Albanian government regarding the Agreement and the procedures for this Agreement between the two countries. I am very sorry to see that you are exploiting this transparent and institutional relationship and making out that you supposedly discovered documents that the government supposedly didn’t want to give you. I have said all this to inform all of those who might have some sensitivity due to that not-at-all positive and non-transparent spirit that your newspaper, and you personally, contributed so as to create this issue throughout these months.
Moreover, the Parliament did not block the procedures for the agreement. But the Parliament, due to those sensitivities that you and others may have created – and also due, unfortunately, to the misinformation campaign being mounted by leading figures of the opposition – is open to providing more time for both public opinion and all those interested to realise that this is an agreement in the interests of both countries. And I can tell you that it is more in our interest than in the interest of Greece, because we want to become members of the European Union, while Greece has been a member for decades. At the same time, because it would be better for the opposition to also be in Parliament, given that the opposition is heading this campaign, because we have no reason to pass this agreement hastily and without there being the requisite transparency and with the opposition in Parliament. But the government is resolved to move forward in this direction, because this agreement, like others as well, is in the mutual interest of both countries.
Regarding the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, we want this issue to find the best possible resolution between the two sides, within the framework and commitment of the UN, because we also want FYROM to become a member of NATO and the EU as soon as possible. I am convinced that our neighbour Greece wants the same thing for FYROM.
Mr. Droutsas: We think that this agreement is to the mutual benefit of both countries. It is within the framework of good neighbourly relations and cooperation between our two countries, and is a good step for Albania towards its European perspective, on which, as we have said, all of us want to focus. As to the ratification process, each country has its legal procedures, which are respected.
Allow me now – given that you referred to the FYROM issue – to stress once again that what Greece is saying, and what we had the pleasure and opportunity of discussing and explaining today, is that Greece sincerely desires to play the leading role in the European accession course of all of the countries of the Western Balkans. And this sincere desire holds true for Skopje as well, of course. Greece wants to see Skopje a member of the European family soon. There are clear criteria and prerequisites for every country on this course, and we are clear on this matter: A prerequisite for the opening of accession negotiations is the prior resolution of the name issue. Greece wants to resolve the name issue as soon as possible. Greece’s position is clear and well known to everyone. We will work in this direction, towards the finding of a solution on the name issue – always in a constructive spirit. We are extending a hand of friendship to our neighbouring country, and we hope that the leadership of our neighbouring country will come to this process for the resolution of the name issue in the same constructive spirit.
Journalist: A question for Mr. Droutsas. In order for Albania to realise its European ambitions, did you ascertain today a desire of the Albanian side to accelerate the necessary process?
Mr. Droutsas: I think that the intentions of Albania and the Albanian government on this course are a given. And we see the tangible results of this effort. I think that the fact alone that Albania’s application has been referred to the European Commission – and we are all looking forward to a speedy, positive reply to the so-called “avis” of the European Commission. And, as I already said, Greece is always ready at Albania’s side, at the side of the Albanian people, and we have already discussed ways we will find for Greece – beyond political assistance and support on Albania’s European course – to provide on a practical level, as well, all of the support that Albanian might need.
Journalist: A question for Mr. Droutsas. 2014, according to Mr. Papandreou’s plan, will be the target-date for the accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union. Is this a desire of the Greek state, or and ambition that can be realised? What are the strong points of this plan?
And a second question. You are aware of political developments in Albania. You know that the opposition is currently not in the Parliament. Are these developments impacting both the liberalization of visas and the ultimate goal of accession to the European Union?
Mr. Droutsas: The proposal for 2014 – Agenda 2014, as we have named it – is a particularly symbolic political proposal, as I explained earlier. As we all know, the European Union sets specific criteria and prerequisites for accession to the European Union. The problems of each country are different and familiar to us. It is, of course, in the hands of each country to carry out the necessary reforms in a short space of time. What is important to us is to create this new momentum for the case of accession, the accession course of the countries of the Western Balkans.
That is what is most important at this time: to create once again a positive promotion of this accession perspective, so that the EU, too, can once again see this process in a more positive light. And on the other hand, of course, the candidate countries will have a serious new incentive to carry out these necessary reforms. That is the message of 2014. That is what we want to focus on, and I, too, want to focus on this process today. On this course towards the European future respect for democracy – respect for the whole range of democratic processes – is of particular importance.