We would like to strengthen the relations between the two state and we are working on the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albanian prime minister Edi Rama said in Sarajevo on Friday, where he arrived for a working visit.

Upon his arrival, Rama met with his Bosnian counterpart, Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Borjana Kristo.

Speaking to reporters, Kristo said that they discussed good and friendly relations between the two countries that are not burdened with open issues, with emphasis on enhancement of those relations. She also said that the cooperation now needs to be intensified through talks on institutional level and through political dialogue.

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She informed the Albanian PM about current political developments in BiH and the work of the state government.

“We simply said that with all complexity, when it comes to social and political, and even institutional relations in BiH, the Council of Ministers is actively working and is making a step ahead on everything that is in focus and interest of BiH, primarily, mutual respect, dialogue and consensus on all issues that will guarantee stability and European future of BIH, which is one of the common foreign policy goals in BiH,” Kristo said.

She emphasised the focus on 14 priorities from the European Commission's Opinion on BiH's membership application and that a significant progress was made on this path as well as on other issues that fall under the competencies of the Council of Ministers of BiH.

Kristo also expressed support to all initiatives of the regional cooperation and the commitment to the Berlin Process. Here she noted that two agreements reached within the Berlin Process were forwarded to the Presidency but that there is no political consensus on that matter.

“We hope that with further efforts we will manage to reach it (consensus) in the upcoming period, before the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana,” she stressed.

As for other initiatives, Kristo said that this will require some time because BiH is not ready for other initiatives at the moment.

Addressing the media, Rama said that he hopes BiH will follow the example of Serbia and sign an agreement on freedom of movement.

“It is not a secret that we are protecting the interests of Kosovo and we want with the Berlin Process to accomplish the freedom of movement, also for the citizens of Kosovo who are encountering difficulties, so that the movement is enabled with ID cards only,” he said.

He also said he informed his counterpart in BiH about the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in Tirana, where six Western Balkan countries will take a joint stance on all matters concerning them, to reach the set goals.

“I am happy that the European community's representatives recognised that and that they will give us support to reach our goals,” he stressed.

Rama also noted that he is aware the European Union is now seeing Ukraine as a priority but that the Western Balkans want their support, too.

“European community has to give us support, rewarding our good behaviour and our efforts. Our aspirations to build peace needs to be rewarded. It is our wish to leave the past behind, it also has to be rewarded,” he said.

Rama was welcomed at the Sarajevo International Airport by foreign minister Elmedin Konakovic.

He has arrived in BiH within his Balkan tour as a preparation for the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in Tirana, this October.