Within the activities of the Network of Parliamentary Committees on Economy, Finance and European Integration of the Western Balkans countries, and with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the meeting between members of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro and the Economy and Finance Committee of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania was held in Tirana today. The meeting represents the return visit of Montenegrin delegation, or continuation of the meeting of the two committees, which was held in Ulcinj, Montenegro, in June this year, on the topic “Parliamentary dimension of cooperation between Montenegro and the Republic of Albania in the field of transport”.

The meeting held today, in addition to Committee members, was also attended by Deputy Minister of Transport at the Government of Albania Mr Ylli Manjani, and Specialist at the Fiscal Policy Division at the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Albania Ms Zarina Taja.

In the introductory part, the participants were addressed by the host of the meeting Mr Ervin Koçi, member of the Economy and Finance Committee of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania and Chairperson of the Network of Parliamentary Committees on Economy, Finance and European Integration of the Western Balkans countries, and Mr Aleksandar Damjanović, Chairperson of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro.

In his introductory address, MP Damjanović expressed expectation that the meeting would contribute to strengthening of parliamentary cooperation, and that it would provide an additional impulse in, otherwise very good, bilateral cooperation of the two countries.

Topics at the meeting included cooperation between Montenegro and Albania in the field of transport, as well as fiscal harmonisation of Albanian and Montenegrin legislation with the European acquis, as well as cooperation of the two countries aimed at attracting resources from regional and IPA funds in accordance with conclusions from the Berlin Summit, held on 28 August 2014.

During the meeting the Deputy Minister Manjani said that the Albanian Government with the assistance of the German Development Bank provided the necessary funds and decided to finish the missing part of the road Podgorica – Plav going through Albania, which represented a good step towards completing this highway of significant economic importance for Montenegro and Albania.

At the meeting they also discussed the experiences of building a highway through Albania, and the manner of parliamentary oversight over this project by the Albanian Parliament, having in mind the announcement of building a highway through Montenegro.

Having in mind that, in accordance with the agreement of parliamentarians who participated in the meeting held in June this year in Ulcinj, the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro, at one of its meeting held in July, determined Proposal for assessments and positions, which, after harmonisation from the aspect of competencies of both Committees, would be delivered to the governments of Montenegro and the Republic of Albania.

In addition to the Chairperson of the Committee Mr Aleksandr Damjanović, all members of the Montenegrin delegation, members of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro: Mr Rešid Adrović, Mr Almer Kalač, Mr Strahinja Bulajić, Mr Goran Tuponja and Mr Nik Gjeloshaj actively participated in relation to the topics of the meeting. The meeting was also attended by the advisor at the Embassy of Montenegro to the Republic of Albania Mr Zdravko Jovović.

On behalf of the Economy and Finance Committee of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, the following participated in the meeting: Mr Ervin Koçi, Ms Blerina Gjylameti, Ms Majlinda Bufi, Mr Namik Kopliku and Ms Esmeralda Shkjau. 

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that the next meeting of the two committees would be held during 2015, in Montenegro.