Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos wrapped up his tour in the Western Balkans with a visit in Albania on February 21.

Venizelos met with Prime Minister Edi Rama and Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati focusing on the European prospect of Albania. He reiterated that "it is a main priority of the Hellenic Presidency that the candidate-country status would be granted to Albania by the end of the six-month Hellenic Presidency."

During a press conference at the EU Info Center in Tirana, Venizelos said that "the Greek national position was positive for the granting of candidate status for Albania last December." The wording of the Conclusions of the European Council is now an open invitation for the continuation of the Albanian effort to achieve this status as an entry point for the opening of the negotiations for the accession of Albania in the European family."

With regard to the latest developments in Ukraine, Venizelos issued the following statement shortly before departing for Budapest for the Visegrad+3 Ministerial Meeting:

"We are monitoring the rapid developments in Ukraine very closely, in cooperation with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. It is now more vital than ever that all the forces in Ukraine reflect on their historical responsibility for the adoption of consensus-based and democratic solutions that will ensure a return to normalcy and preserve their country’s national unity and territorial integrity.

We welcome the release of Yulia Tymoshenko and express the hope that this development will contribute to the return to normalcy and the restoration of rule of law. Everyone has to realize that the only real way out of the crisis is democratic dialogue, and not violence, retaliation or civil strife."