State Secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombić on Tuesday met with Albania’s chief negotiator for EU accession Zef Mazi. The two officials discussed the status of enlargement process, Albania’s preparations and Croatia’s negotiating experiences, as well as the prospects of exchanging them.
Mazi thanked for Croatia’s consistent support to Albania’s Euro-Atlantic journey. He said Albania expected the first intergovernmental conference to take place this year. The ambassador underscored Albania’s progress in reform implementation, notably in the areas of justice and the fight against corruption, adding he was well aware there was still a lot of work ahead. Mazi expected the EU entry talks to be difficult and challenging, but ultimately beneficial to all Albania’s citizens.
Metelko-Zgombić reaffirmed Croatia’s support for the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and familiarized Mazi with Croatia’s experiences from the process. She also informed him about the possibilities of Croatia’s assistance through various instruments, including twinning projects.