Escobar’s visit to Tirana, Yuri Kim: Shows US focus on fighting corruption!

The Senior Official, accompanied by the US Ambassador to Tirana, Yuri Kim, had his first meeting in Tirana with the leader of the Democrats, Lulzim Basha, and then was received by Olta Xhaçka, and finally held a meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Through a post on social media, Kim writes that after the visit, Escobar underlined the US focus on the fight against corruption, impunity and efforts to undermine democracy in the Western Balkans.

Further, Kim writes that the US looks forward to strengthening relations, increasing cooperation with Albania, as well as creating more opportunities for trade and investment by working on regional integration and global issues.

“During his visit to Tirana, Escobar thanked Albania for the strong partnership and reaffirmed the strong US support for Albania’s EU membership. He underlined the US focus on fighting corruption, impunity and efforts to undermine democracy in the Western Balkans. We look forward to strengthening relations: increasing our defense cooperation as NATO allies; creating more opportunities for trade and investment; “Working together on regional integration and global issues, especially as members of the UN Security Council in 2022,” Kim said in the post.

Top Channel journalist Muhamed Veliu learned earlier that Mr. Escobar has stated that the US in the coming months will escalate the fight against corruption in Albania to the highest levels, but did not provide specific details.

Unlike the visit to Northern Macedonia, where Mr. Escobar also met with President Stevo Pendarovski, in Albania he preferred not to include President Ilir Meta in the agenda.

This visit came just two days before the meeting of the National Assembly convened by the former leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, who was declared ‘non grata’ by the US State Department.

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