TIRANA – Hungary has donated a medical supply of 100,000 masks and 5,000 medical suits to Albanian health system to combat the coronavirus pandemic in a brief ceremony which was held at ‘Mother Teresa’ Airport Tirana on Friday.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto came in person to Tirana to hand over the humanitarian donation being received by the acting Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj, who expressed gratitude for Hungary’s valuable support.
A press release issued by the Foreign Ministry said the two ministers exchanged views on the efforts to advance the political and economic bilateral agenda, the Hungarian support for the reconstruction of the country after the damages caused by the earthquake of November 26 last year, as well as the concrete cooperation in combating COVID-19.
They also talked about Albania’s path toward the European Union. The European Union decided to open accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia last March.
According to the statement of the foreign ministry, the two FMs shared the opinion that the EU decision was a must although a delayed one. “Such a decision is not only important for the deepening of the internal reforms but also for the growth of credibility of the EU in the region,” said the statement released by foreign ministry.
“Albania has achieved evident and sustainable results in all the identified main fields of the conclusions of the Council in June 2018,” Cakaj was quoted as saying. Further on he said that despite the current situation Albania is prepared and ready to carry out all the required technical and political duties to take forward the process of the negotiations starting with the first intergovernmental conference.
During his official visit to Tirana Minister Szijjarto was also received by President Ilir Meta who expressed gratitude to Hungary for the solidarity and concrete assistance to support Albania to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Meta said Hungary is the permanent ally of Albanians and extended thanks to Budapest’s top diplomat for the solidarity and generous concrete help that it gave on Friday in support of the fight against COVID-19, donating to us 100,000 masks and 5,000 medical protective clothing. The President also thanked minister Szijjarto for expressing Hungary’s will for the strengthening of the bilateral cooperation.
In a separate meeting the opposition Democratic Party head, Lulzim Basha extended his gratitude to Hungary, Prime Minister Victor Orban and Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto himself during the meeting with the latter saying that the medical aid was precious in these difficult days for Albania. In a FB post Basha said he had asked minister Szijjarto to further help Albania which is currently facing a severe economic crisis accompanied with unemployment and uncertainty for the citizens in their effort to secure the daily food. /argumentum.al
