On 3 September, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, as part of his official visit to Latvia with his spouse, Armanda Begaj. The meeting took place at the Riga Castle.
The President of Latvia and the President of Albania discussed the bilateral dialogue between the two countries, economic cooperation, the enlargement of the European Union (EU), Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Western Balkans.
During the meeting, the President of Latvia welcomed the first visit of the President of Albania and his spouse to Latvia since the restoration of the country's independence. E. Rinkēvičs expressed Latvia's interest in strengthening bilateral collaboration and thanked Albania for its contributions to the security of Latvia and the broader Baltic region. "The participation of the National Armed Forces contingent in the NATO-led international operation in Kosovo represents Latvia’s largest deployment of troops outside of the country. This is Latvia's contribution to the security and stability of the Western Balkans," emphasised E. Rinkēvičs.
President Rinkēvičs expressed support for Albania's ongoing process of European Union integration and called for the continuation of reforms. "The EU candidate countries must fulfil the established criteria, while the EU must honour its commitments when the requisite conditions for candidate countries are met," said E. Rinkēvičs.
During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the security situation in Europe. President Rinkēvičs welcomed Albania's clear position on Russia's aggression against Ukraine and its alignment with EU sanctions against Russia.
The President of Latvia invited Albania to cooperate with the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, especially in the light of the growing hybrid threats.
"The geographical distance between our countries is considerable. You are situated in the south and we are in the north. Nevertheless, we have a lot in common. Our countries fought hard for their independence. We have survived world wars, brutal communist regimes, and repression. Our territories have too often been the battlefields in the conflicts between other geopolitical actors. Today, we stand together as independent countries in our support for Ukraine and its people. It is already the 923rd day since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine stands strong and must prevail against Russia's imperial ambitions. This year, both our countries are celebrating the anniversaries of NATO membership – for Latvia, the twentieth anniversary and for Albania, the fifteenth anniversary. We know that freedom and security must never be taken for granted. This is our responsibility for the present and for the future. Latvia is particularly grateful for Albania's contribution to the NATO Multinational Battle Group in Latvia. Latvia offers its unreserved support for your country's aspirations to become a member of the European Union. We are ready to provide assistance and share our experience with you so that you may become a full-fledged member of the Euro-Atlantic family," said President Rinkēvičs.
The diplomatic relations between Latvia and Albania were first established on 16 February 1928 and subsequently reinstated on 28 August 1991. This is the inaugural visit by an Albanian President to Latvia.
