The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, shall today begin a tour of the Balkans during which he shall visit four countries to which he will convey Spain's renewed interest in the region, its willingness to support them in their European accession and, in particular, to present the main lines of the Spanish Presidency of the EU regarding the Balkans.
Albares' tour will include the signing of a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration in the European integration process with each of the countries he visits. Serbia shall be the first stop where this agreement shall be signed alongside the Minister of European Integration, Tanja Miscevic. From Belgrade he shall travel to Sarajevo (Bosnia Herzegovina), on Thursday, 13 April, where, in addition to various institutional meetings, he plans to tour the city and visit the library that has been reconstructed by the Spanish Cooperation.
The last leg of the trip will take place on Friday, 14 April, in Tirana (Albania), where the Foreign Minister shall sign the same cooperation agreement with his colleague Olta Xhaçka. The day shall end in Skopje, where, in addition to signing alongside his counterpart, Bujar Osmani, the same memorandum of understanding as signed with the three previous countries, he will hold several institutional meetings with the Northern Macedonia authorities until his return to Madrid.
Through this tour, Albares will have the opportunity to learn about the ongoing cooperation processes, as well as the perception of the evolution of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. At the same time, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation will present the constructive facet of Spain on the situation in the area, supporting the work of the Representative of the European Union, Miroslav Lajçak, and the search for a final and mutually acceptable solution to the conflict in the area.
-NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-