Croatian Defense Minister pays official visit to Albania, Peleshi: No hesitation in integration of Western Balkan

Published: Tuesday, 05 April 2022 13:16

Defence Minister Niko Peleshi received in a special meeting the Defence Minister of the Republic of Croatia Mario Banožić. The visit takes place at a particular moment for both countries, which celebrated the 13th Anniversary of NATO Membership. The two ministers first held a "tête-à-tête" and then a meeting between the two delegations. At the center of the discussions were the excellent relations between the two countries, their contribution within the Alliance as well as the situation created worldwide by the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
In the joint press conference, Defence Minister of Albania Niko Peleshi expressed that: “The military occupation of Ukraine is an act of aggression, an illegal and criminal war against a sovereign country. Albania immediately condemned this unprovoked act of aggression, giving a first-hand contribution in the field of diplomacy (from the OSCE, NATO to the UN Security Council as a temporary member), but also concrete military assistance."



Both Albania and Croatia have maintained the same stance in support of peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.
Minister Peleshi emphasized that: “The situation in Ukraine taught us a great lesson. The reluctance to resolutely implement the open door policy, the reluctance to accept countries that want to embrace Western values, in NATO and the EU is a big mistake. We need to raise our voices so that others understand the importance of Euro-Atlantic integration for all the countries of the Western Balkans."



At this point, Minister Peleshi highlighted the importance of Kosovo's support in its aspirations towards membership in international organizations, contributing to the strengthening of peace and security. Minister Peleshi noted the fact that members of the Armed Forces of the two countries operate again side by side in Kosovo.
On his part, Defence Minister of Croatia, Mario Banožić, thanked Minister Peleshi for the hospitality and expressed the unstinting support of his country on the path of Albania's membership in the European Union. Minister Banožić stressed the importance of the NATO Alliance, mainly in the security challenges facing Europe today, but also the globe. "The current situation shows once again that Euro-Atlantic membership is vital for the countries of our region. I express my strong support to the Republic of Albania in its membership in the European Union as soon as possible.", - said the Defence Minister of Croatia.
The two ministers expressed readiness to further deepen cooperation at the bilateral level, mainly through education and training, as well as the further engagement of the Armed Forces in NATO-led operations.