Head of Bosnia Presidency Šefik Džaferović says will open an embassy in Tirana

From the left: Šefik Džaferović and Ilir Meta in the Albanian Presidency on October 5, 2020

 The head of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Šefik Džaferović, in a joint conference with President Ilir Meta said that an embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be opened in Tirana.

He stressed that Albania should do the same to increase cooperation relations with each other.

President Meta himself stressed that this is a proper move and that he was against the closure of the Albanian embassy in Sarajevo, and asks the current government in Albania to reopen it before April 25.

After the elections, Meta assures that the Albanian embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina will definitely be opened.

Šefik Džaferović: The Republic of Albania and Bosnia are connected with good relations, we have no open issues between us. We are committed to our Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and to developing the Western Balkans region. Bilateral relations are friendly. We can do better, improve, and I believe we have not used all the opportunities to increase cooperation.

Perhaps it is the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently without an embassy in Tirana, and the same thing Tirana does not have an embassy in Sarajevo. The Bosnian presidency decided to open an embassy in Tirana. And I believe this act will help and improve the relationship. We expect Albania to do the same for the embassy. Trade exchange, the Bosnian brand is not close to our possibilities. We need to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, food production, electricity, construction, and other areas. Bosnia has shown that with the investments of Bosnian companies here in Albania they are capable of large projects. The opportunities in tourism are great. They have not been used to their full potential. We need to connect to the sea and mountain tourism when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are many other issues that we discussed during the meeting, and after this visit without an invitation from Mr. Meta. Thank you very much for giving Bosnia the status of a minority. Bosniaks respect this place where they live. They respect the state from which they came. They want to preserve their identity. Continue to develop the relationship, that it will be fun for all of us. I wish Albania that together with Northern Macedonia will open negotiations. And this is very important. The integration of the entire Western Balkans must come first for Bosnia and Herzegovina. We support the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. To have an acceptable solution, and Bosnia and Herzegovina respect the initiatives that respect territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, President Meta added: "I did not agree on the closure of the Albanian embassy in Sarajevo. Albania must play its role in stability and peace in the region. Bosnia is a very important country, and Albania respects the sovereignty and integrity of Bosnia, and we even have an active Albanian community there. We have so many opportunities and common goals that we have to move with a growth in the concretization of relationships. I hope the Albanian Government to open its Embassy there before April 25, because after April 25, an embassy will definitely be opened in Sarajevo."