Albanian Prime Minister Visits Hungary

Albanian Premier Sali Berisha began an official visit to Budapest on Monday at the invitation of his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orbán. The Hungarian Prime Minister stated that Hungary supported Albania's accession to the European Union.

Following the talks of the two prime ministers, Viktor Orbán said it was “in Hungary's and Western Europe's interests for Albania to be a member of the European Union. Negotiations to this end should start and conclude as soon as possible." He was of the view that “the countries of Central Europe know what democracy is like because they know dictatorship.”

Berisha, who is visiting Hungary on the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (and the centenary of Albanian independence), said that "Albania is day by day becoming stronger and its economic climate is improving." He cited the energy and water sectors as having particularly high potential.

"Companies from around the world are coming to Albania to build new infrastructure such as hydroelectric power plants and new motorways," he said, "We are waiting for Hungarian companies, too."