Latvia throws its hat in ring for Albania’s journey toward EU membership

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10. On July 9, Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani paid a working visit to Riga, where he met with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže, Trend reports.

The convening was centered on fortifying bilateral engagements, enhancing NATO synergies, and propelling Albania’s trajectory towards European Union accession.
Minister Braže articulated gratitude for Albania’s unwavering commitment to the security architecture of the Baltic Sea region, highlighting the deployment of around 20 Albanian personnel to NATO’s Multinational Brigade located at the Ādaži Military Base in Latvia.
“Albania serves as a reliable partner to Latvia, and we benefit from robust bilateral engagements.” "I express my gratitude to the minister for Albania’s strategic contribution to the regional security architecture and for their military deployment in Latvia, which serves to bolster NATO’s deterrence and defense posture along the Eastern flank,” articulated Minister Braže.
The ministers engaged in a comprehensive dialogue regarding multifaceted regional and international security paradigms, synergistic collaboration within the NATO framework, strategic support mechanisms for Ukraine, and the persistent initiatives aimed at mitigating hybrid threats. Both ministers expressed their endorsement of the outcomes derived from the recent NATO Summit convened in The Hague.
Minister Braže lauded Albania’s accelerated trajectory towards EU accession and advocated for the sustained implementation of requisite reforms pivotal for ultimate membership attainment.

“Albania has shown real commitment to aligning with EU values. With sustained effort, it is within reach to become an EU member state in the coming years,” she noted.

Minister Hasani, in turn, reaffirmed Albania’s determination to press forward with reforms and thanked Latvia for its consistent support in the EU accession process.

In addition to security and diplomacy, both sides highlighted growing interest in expanding academic and scientific cooperation. Minister Hasani praised Latvia’s role in training Albanian professionals through programs like the Intensive Programme in European Law and Economics at the Riga Graduate School of Law.

The launch of direct airBaltic flights between Riga and Tirana in 2024 was welcomed as a boost for tourism, business, and people-to-people connections between the two nations.

As part of the July 9 program, Minister Hasani visited the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and joined Minister Braže in laying flowers at the Monument of Freedom. He also toured the Medical Education Technology Centre at Rīga Stradiņš University and met with Jānis Sārts, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence. A visit to the Ādaži Military Base included a meeting with Albanian troops stationed there.

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