Bulgaria-Albania relations
Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev has left on a two-day official visit to Albania at the invitation of Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. An intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism, Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking and an Agreement on Settlement of the Albanian Debt to Bulgaria, which amounts to 103,246 US dollars, as well as an Agreement on Cooperation in the Fields of Education, Science and Culture will be signed on Monday in the presence of the two PMs, BTA reports. The Bulgarian Prime Minister will confer with Albanian Parliament Speaker Jozefina Coba Topalli and with Albanian President Alfred Moisiu. The schedule also includes a session with Socialist Party of Albania Chairman Edi Rama. The relations between Bulgaria and Albania mark an uprising tendency of development in the recent years. There are no controversial or unsolved issues between the two countries. The trade and economic relations mark a significant growth in the last two years. The forthcoming signing of a programme for cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture is expected to contribute to the further development of the relations in these areas. The development of the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Albania provides additional opportunities for rendering positive influence on the Western Balkans processes, as well as for the development of the multilateral cooperation of the Southeast European countries and the implementation of regional infrastructure projects including Corridor VIII, the connection of the energy systems of Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania, the implementation of the AMBO oil pipeline project, joint projects in the field of telecommunications. As a EU and NATO member-state, Bulgaria is rendering assistance for the successful implementation of the foreign policy priorities of Albania for NATO and EU memberships. On March 26 and 27, 2003, the then Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg- Gotha paid an official visit to Albania and that had been the first visit of a Bulgarian prime minister since 45 years. On November 17 and 18, Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano was on official visit to Bulgaria. The trade and economic relations between the two countries are regulated by the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation, signed on April 27, 1994. In the foreign trade of Albania, Bulgaria is traditionally ranked sixth or seventh after Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Russia and China. Most probably this tendency will continue in next years as well. In 2006, the trade between the two countries reached 90 million US dollars with positive balance in favour of Bulgaria. The data show a tendency of growing of trade with preserving the big positive balance in favour of Bulgaria. Bulgarian exports to Albania in recent years included goods from the energy sector, foods, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, plastics, textile among others. Bulgarian cigarettes and mineral water as well as some other products returned to the Albanian market. Bulgaria imports from Albania chemicals, machines and equipment, textiles. In 2004, the first Bulgarian-Albanian joint venture was established between Gotmar company from Suedinenie town (Southern Bulgaria) and Ald Kris, Tirana. The initial investment stood at 6 million euros. Currently the investment reached 12 million euros. Bulgarian companies Electroimpex, Hyundai Elprom Trafo and Elkabel, Bourgas, have won tenders in Albania. The branch of Bulgarian First Investment Bank is actively operating in Albania through its affiliates in Tirana and Durus. Affiliates will be opened also in Vlora and Elbasan. The bank has invested over 10 million euros in Albanian finance system so far. At a request of the Albanian Government, in the last quarter of 2005 Bulgaria National Electricity Company (NEK) supplied urgently 110 MW electricity. Despite the lack of bylaws in the field of culture, efforts were made to carry on cultural exchange and strengthen Bulgaria's cultural presence in Albania, BTA reports. In May 2005, Albanian President Alfred Moisiu took part in the Cultural Corridors in Southeast Europe forum in Varna. The Bulgarian side supports the efforts of the ethnic Bulgarians in Albania to preserve their identity, economic and cultural development.
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