Pedro Sánchez conveys Spain's support for Albania's accession to the EU to Edi Rama

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Sánchez reaffirmed Spain's support for Albania's accession to the European Union, as well as Spain's commitment to the future of the Balkans within the EU, messages that were conveyed at a key time for Albania, just two days before the EU-Balkans Summit is held in Slovenia, which Pedro Sánchez will attend.

"Spain is actively in favour of enlargement," the Spanish President told him. "I have consistently defended this view. We need to push for EU membership for the Balkan countries. Europe is their space, just like ours.

In this regard, President Sánchez confirmed Spain's determination to strengthen its global presence in the Balkans to Prime Minister Rama. "It is high time we did it. We share common interests and a common future.

During today's meeting, Pedro Sánchez and Edi Rama signed a bilateral extradition agreement, which is of particular interest to Spain, insofar as it provides that nationality will not be an obstacle to the extradition of requested people. This brings the telephone conversations between the two leaders over the last year to fruition, which have confirmed the good level of cooperation between the two countries and the willingness to relaunch contacts, especially in certain areas such as the police and the judiciary.

This mutual understanding in police and judicial matters has been very positive over the last decade. The International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) has recently initiated the implementation of an EU delegated cooperation project on combating organised crime in Albania through financial investigation, and will deploy a Spanish team of police and prosecutors. Since 2014, Spain has also been leading EUROPOL's EMPACT Firearms programme, which has contributed to the fight against illicit arms trafficking in the Balkans.

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Fernando CalvoIn parallel to this agreement, the willingness of Pedro Sánchez and Edi Rama to explore additional areas of cooperation between Spain and Albania has also materialised in today's meeting with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in university matters.

Migratory flows addressed from a perspective of cooperation and solidarity and the importance of collaboration within the NATO framework were also two visions shared by the two leaders.

Spain and Albania are generally aligned on the most important positions on the Alliance's agenda, such as support for the proposed political adaptation of the NATO SG, the NATO 2030 initiative and the need to review NATO's 2010 Strategic Concept with a view to the next Madrid Summit in 2022.

President Sánchez acknowledged "the efforts that the Albanian government is making in border management and asylum procedures", while thanking Albania for "the solidarity and help shown" in the European hub project led by Spain for the temporary reception of Afghan refugees in transit to other countries.

Non official translation