BULGARIA

Political Dialogue:  Diplomatic relations between Albania and Bulgaria were established in 1922, while diplomatic missions in both countries were opened in 1923. After the Second World War, when both countries were included in the communist camp, bilateral relations have known developments in all fields, and these developments are preserved and advanced even further today. Bilateral relations between Albania and Bulgaria are considered very good, with cooperation extending to almost all fields. Based on historical, cultural, human and economic-commercial ties, as well as on the new bed of Euro-Atlantic integration, they create very good opportunities for their intensification in the future, in line with European values ​​and with impact the continuous improvement of relations in the region. Bulgaria has given its support to Albania for NATO membership and continues to give it for the further steps of EU integration. Between the two countries, there has been an ongoing exchange of high-level political visits (President, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister) and at expert level.

A Bulgarian minority lives in Albania, which was recognized as such through the adoption of the Law on Minorities on October 13, 2017, while a small community of the old Albanian diaspora lives in Mandrica, Bulgaria. At the end of the 19th century – the beginning of the 20th century, the capital of Bulgaria served as a base where where Albanian patriots gathered and carried out a very rich activity for the Albanian national issue. Among them we highlight: the first organization of the Albanian diaspora through the cultural-educational society “Dëshira”, which was founded in 1886; the opening in 1897 of the “Mbrodhesia” printing house. Many prominent Albanian figures have stayed in Bulgaria, such as Ismail Qemali and Shahin Kolonja, Gjergj Qiriazi and Themistokli Gërmenji, Thimi Mitko, Pandeli Cale and Mit’hat Frashëri.

Economic cooperation: The economic and financial cooperation is one of the main field of cooperation. Bulgaria is considered a traditional economic partner of Albania. Both countries are concretely engaged to work for the concretization of economic relations between the two countries. A number of agreements in the economic field have been approved and signed between the two countries, which constitute the necessary legal framework for the development of economic cooperation.

There are 93 Bulgarian businesses, in Albania, with at least one individual with Bulgarian citizenship, which operate mainly in the field of energy, supply of materials for road construction, in the field of information and communication, in the field of public administration and defense, mandatory social insurances, food productions, cigarette supply, etc.

Education is another important field of cooperation between the two countries, which has seen development in recent decades. This cooperation includes the organization of summer courses for the respective languages, exchanges of students and lecturers between the universities of both countries in science, culture, arts, health, tourism, c in the field of film archives, libraries, cultural heritage, etc.