During his visit to Thessaloniki for the opening of the 86th International Fair, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Kostas Fragogiannis, had a working meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania and Vice President of the Government Belinda Balluku on Friday morning, September 9.

Both sides expressed their will to strengthen bilateral economic relations and enhance cooperation to address any issues that may arise. Particular reference was made to the state of infrastructure in Albania in areas inhabited by the Greek minority and the possibilities of cooperation on infrastructure upgrading projects.

Later on the day, the Deputy Minister met with US Ambassadors from the Balkan countries, as well as officials of the US Development Financial Corporation (DFC), also in Thessaloniki for the opening of the 86th International Fair. The meeting was attended by the US Ambassadors to Albania, Yuri Kim, North Macedonia, Kate Mary Byrnes, Bulgaria, Herro Mustafa and Serbia, Christopher Robert Hill, as well as by the US Ambassador to Greece, George Tsunis.

During the meeting, the excellent level of Greece-US relations was confirmed, as evidenced by the series of American investments implemented in Greece in recent years. The US officials expressed satisfaction with Greece’s enhanced role as a regional power in Southeastern Europe, as well as with Greece’s support for the European prospect of the Western Balkan countries.

U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria Ms. Mustafa thanked the Deputy Minister for the Greek government’s support to the Bulgarian government, while Ms. Byrnes, U.S. Ambassador to Skopje, expressed satisfaction with Greece’s actions to promote the Natural Gas Pipeline with North Macedonia.

For his part, Mr. Fragogiannis emphasized the importance of integrating the Western Balkans into the EU and pursuing stability in the region in the face of the current energy crisis.