During his meeting with Zoran Zaev, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed hope that Macedonia and Albania can remove borders along the lines of Albania’s agreement with Kosovo. Rama spoke about free movement of people based on the Schengen zone, but acknowledged that his agreement with Kosovo was met with criticism after it was seen as a possible step toward “Greater Albania”.

We should expand the Schengen model in the region. Our borders should be as transparent as those in the European Union. Nobody is stopping us from doing it even before we join the EU. We were misunderstood when we talked about a Schengen project with Kosovo, for us it was only the beginning before it is expanded to other countries as well, Rama said.

Rama was heavily involved in the Macedonian political crisis, pushing ethnic Albanian parties from Macedonia to prepare a joint platform of demands which are transforming Macedonia, and which are now being implemented by Zaev. Rama commended his guest for this, especially for the way in which he introduced the Albanian language as a second official language in Macedonia.

Zaev and Rama both expressed hope that the EU will allow Macedonia and Albania to open accession talks this summer.