Albania President Chooses Kosovo For First State Visit

Albania’s new President, Bujar Nishani, is to start his first state visit on Wednesday in neighouring Kosovo.In his three-day visit to Kosovo, President Nishani is expected to hold meetings with Pristina’s political leaders, including President Atifete Jahjaga, the speaker of parliament Jakup Krasniqi and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.Nishani will also meet leaders of Kosovo’s main political parties, including Isa Mustafa of the opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, and Albin Kurti, head of the nationalist Vetvendosje (Self-Determination) Movement.

On his visit, Nishani will be accompanied by first lady Odeta Nishani, Minister of Education Myqerem Tafaj, Minister of Interior Flamur Noka and the Deputy Foreign Minister Edit Harxhi.

Nishani is expected to pay homage to Kosovo’s late President and independence leader, Ibrahim Rugova, and to the late guerrilla leader, Adem Jashari.

He is also expected to visit several religious sites, including the medieval Serbian Orthodox monastery at Decani, in the west of the country.