Rama: Abazovic expressed his desire to organize the "Open Balkan" Summit in June

After the joint session of the Governments of Albania and Montenegro in Podgorica, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama thanked his colleague Dritan Abazovic for expressing his desire to organize the "Open Balkan" Summit in June in Montenegro, RTCG reports.

"I claim that the Open Balkan is necessary in order for the rhythm of all the values and demands from the Berlin Process to come to life, and the summit in Podgorica in June will contribute to that," Rama said.

Rama also stated there was no opposition between the Berlin Process and the Open Balkan.

"We need our forces to be available, to bring to life the themes of the Berlin Process's foundation," Rama emphasized, adding that the region needed better cooperation.

As announced by the Government of Montenegro, a number of interstate agreements significant for the improvement of bilateral cooperation were signed at the joint session. Abazovic and Rama signed an agreement between the two countries on the bridge construction on the Bojana River.

Rama also said Albania had already developed a project idea for the future bridge on Bojana with the funds.

"As I told Dritan, salaries are higher here in Montenegro, so we can't pay for the bridge if we've already paid the designer for the idea," Rama said.

Abazovic said at the press conference that a message of cooperation and commitment to the common future of the two countries, based on economic cooperation, had been sent today.

As he said, the bridge on Bojana would not only connect the two coasts but would also be a new tourist product of the two countries.

"The goal is to reduce traffic jams," Abazovic said.

According to him, Montenegro and Albania see a great perspective in cooperation that should lead to a better life for citizens. He also stated that Albania-Montenegro relations could serve as a model for the region.

"The Government of Montenegro will organize similar sessions with other countries in the region," Abazovic said.

He added that Montenegro and Albania could say that their relations had been raised to a higher level today.

"Citizens expect us to work harder on progress and to leave negative disputes behind us," Abazovic said.

Albania and Montenegro are more than neighbors, Rama said and he added that in these challenging times, the significance of good relations seemed even more important. He also reminded that he and Abazovic visited Kyiv together and said Albania is completely on the side of Ukraine. Rama also said Montenegro and Albania are fully committed to the EU path.

Abazovic and Rama also signed Joint Declarations.

Nine more agreements and memorandums were signed in the fields of energy, fisheries, plant protection, social protection, sports, culture and media, defense, and health, as well as the Agreement on the opening of the joint border crossing Saint Nicholas-Pulaj on the territory of Albania.

Several agreements were signed between the government departments of Montenegro and Albania.

The session of the two governments was held in the new building of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts in Podgorica.