Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke at a press conference on Thursday, May 21. Right at the beginning, he surprised everyone when he apologized for his more casual clothes. He stated that he injured his foot while playing sports, as a result of which he cannot wear a shoe to go with his suit, writes .
The prime minister already wore informal shoes during the meeting with the President of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj, who arrived on an official visit to the Slovak Republic. PHOTO can be found in the gallery. They met on Wednesday, May 20, at the Office of the Government (ÚV) of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava. They discussed mutual relations, the situation in the Western Balkans region, but also current issues of European politics.
“Economic cooperation is our highest priority. The joint mutual trade turnover is continuously growing and we see opportunities mainly in energy, infrastructure, digitalization, waste management and tourism,” said Fico, adding that there is also great potential for cooperation in the defense industry. An important step towards strengthening bilateral economic cooperation was the conclusion of the agreement on the prevention of double taxation and tax evasion, which entered into force in April 2024.
The number of Slovak tourists choosing Albania as a holiday destination is also growing. “It’s an opportunity for our citizens to get to know your country, and it also opens up new opportunities for cooperation and investment,” said the prime minister. The impetus for the development of tourism is the establishment of a direct air connection between Bratislava and Tirana.
During the meeting at the government office, the Prime Minister expressed his support for Albania’s integration into the European Union. “Union enlargement is an investment in the security and stability of the European continent and must remain credible, fair and, above all, merit-based,” emphasized Fico and added that the region of the Western Balkans is one of the priorities of Slovakia’s foreign policy.
The government supports the European future of the entire Western Balkans. The current Albanian government has set itself the goal of ending the negotiations on joining the EU in 2027 and joining the Union in 2030. Albania is one of the most pro-European countries in the region, and there is high support for membership in the European Union even among the population.
