"Slovenia is a friend of Albania and cooperation between the two countries has traditionally been good and positive. There are also many areas where we see potential for upgrading relations, such as the economy, tourism and education. Slovenia and Albania are currently coordinating a protocol on tuition fee waivers for Albanian and Slovenian students and a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of tourism; these two documents will open the door to many new opportunities. The recent opening of a Slovenian consulate headed by an Honorary Consul in Drač is also a positive step," said Minister Fajon after meeting with Minister Hasani.

"Slovenia has consistently and actively supported Albania on its path to the EU and will continue to do so in the future. I am convinced that EU enlargement to the Western Balkans is a geostrategic necessity and there is now a window of opportunity worth seizing. Albania has made important progress on reforms, which I hope will be recognised by EU Member States. I would like to see the opening of the first chapter in the EU negotiations as soon as possible, while Albania is still working hard on reforms," Fajon said on Albania's progress on its EU path. She assured that Slovenia would continue to support Albania in the framework of development assistance, in particular through the implementation of bilateral technical assistance projects, which will help Albania integrate into the EU. The two sides also exchanged views on the current situation in the region and the wider international community, and Minister Hasani briefed the Minister on the current domestic political situation in the country.

Addressing the Diplomatic Consultation of Albanian Ambassadors, Minister Fajon stressed the need to accelerate the process of the Western Balkan countries' rapprochment to the EU in the current geopolitical context. She expressed her conviction that the EU's integration of the Western Balkan countries is also in the EU's own interest, as the EU is not complete without the Western Balkans. She also touched on the pressing challenges in the international community and Slovenia's membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

In Tirana, the Minister visited the Vocational and Food Safety Training Centre at the University of Agronomy in Tirana, where Slovenia, together with the United States Agency for International Development, has equipped two working laboratories as part of a development project.