“I am pleased that our two countries have experienced closer ties and increased cooperation. Overall, diplomatic relations between our two countries have gone to an even higher level. In addition to our growing and excellent bilateral relations, we share a lot in terms of multilateral engagements,” has said the Swiss Ambassador, Adrian Maitre. 
Ambassador Adrian Maitre has completed his mandate after four years of serving as Switzerland’s Ambassador to Tirana and coordinating its cooperation programme in support of Albania’s reforms, and Albanian Daily News had the pleasure to have an interview with him.   
During Ambassador’s tenure several high level visits have taken place between Albania and Switzerland in the last 3 years; relations and exchanges have increased and the links grown stronger. During 2020 Switzerland and Albania marked 50 years of diplomatic relations. Around this same time the Trans Adriatic Pipeline TAP, started its operations in Albania. 
TAP is a benchmark investment in Albania that has been strongly supported by Switzerland. It has aroused interest by the European Union and the United States, including the feasibility of the use of gas for the Vlora Thermal Power Plant. 
In the meantime Mr. Maitre said that Albania has played an excellent role in its first year as member of the United Nations Security Council and he revealed that on June the 9th Switzerland was also elected as a non-permanent member of the Council, and looks very much forward to cooperating with Albania as a partner during 2023 in this important multilateral platform. 
Further the Ambassador noted that Switzerland is an active supporter of Albania’s European integration path. “The Albanian people and authorities have set out to integrate with European standards and values and Switzerland supports this agenda. Overall, I am glad to have served at such intense and interesting times towards bringing our two countries closer and towards supporting Albania’s efforts.”    
The Ambassador was also pleased about the extension of the relations in the cultural field mentioning some of the main events and looking for more opportunities in the next four years. 
Switzerland and Albania launched on May, 15, 2022 a new 105 million CHF programme of development and cooperation for the next four years (2022-2025), with the goal of supporting Albania’s reforms regarding democracy, economic development and employment, infrastructure services and climate change, and health. 
“The new cooperation programme is a commitment to supporting Albania’s reforms and progress towards a functional democracy and a sustainable economy. It continues our previous programme and at the same time adapts to new developments and demands,” said the Swiss Ambassador Adrian Maitre to Albania in the following interview: 
Albanian Daily News: Thank you Mr. Ambassador for this interview. As your mandate in Albania is coming to an end we congratulate you for your dedicated work and wish you success in your new assignments. Could you share with ADN’s readers some of the main achievements and key milestones of your mandate in Albania? 
Swiss Ambassador Adrian Maitre: Four years have gone so fast and this was a period full of unforeseen developments. I had the pleasure to lead an intense cooperation programme and work with excellent Albanian and international partners. On the diplomatic aspect, we had several high level visits and events. Most notably the Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis visited Albania in 2020 to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. Federal Councillor Alain Berset – who serves during the current year as Vice President of Switzerland and is our Minister for Health and Social Protection among others – was here in February 2022 to sign the bilateral Social Insurance Agreement. More recently, a Swiss government delegation led by Patricia Danzi, Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, was in Albania to attend the launching of our new Cooperation Programme on May 13th.  
One other key achievement that stands out to me is the way Swiss humanitarian and development support worked together in the wake of the 2019 earthquake that shook Albania. 
- Upon your arrival in Albania almost four years ago you stated that your goal was to contribute to stronger links between Switzerland and Albania and to see this country move on with its European integration agenda. How would you estimate the achievement of these targets? 
- I am pleased that our two countries have experienced closer ties and increased cooperation. Overall, diplomatic relations between our two countries have gone to an even higher level. In addition to our growing and excellent bilateral relations, we share a lot in terms of multilateral engagements. 
Albania has played an excellent role in its first year as member of the United Nations Security Council. A few days ago – on June the 9th - Switzerland was also elected as a non-permanent member of the Council, and looks very much forward to cooperating with Albania as a partner during 2023 in this important multilateral platform. Prior to that, Albania showed great readiness and ability to contribute to other multilateral platforms including its chairmanship of the OSCE during 2020. We cooperated effectively during that period as well.   
Our relations extend also to the cultural field: I fondly remember a visit by world-famous Swiss architect Mario Botta during 2019. Also our Swiss Cultural Fund is making good progress in supporting emerging young artists in Albania. We have established and are working for more twinning between Swiss and Albanian institutions. The two parliaments are exchanging regularly; the Swiss Federal Statistical Office is a partner of Albania’s INSTAT; and the University of Luzern is a close partner of the project Leave No one Behind that builds capacities of municipalities for providing better social services. Twinning came as response to requests by Albanian institutions – we are looking for more opportunities in the next four years. 
I am pleased to see that Albania is progressing in most areas related to its European integration path. The country is engaged in reforms that are gradually producing results, although there is unfinished business remaining in several areas especially in the fight against crime and corruption. However, we can also talk about a European integration that is already a fact:  Albania – like Switzerland - is a member of the Council of Europe. It is also a member of the European Patent Office. This provides us with further opportunities for cooperation which we are already exploring. Many Albanian companies export successfully to EU markets. This is a silent, less visible European integration but by no means less important. We support this with assistance regarding quality standards. 
Switzerland is an active supporter of Albania’s European integration path. The Albanian people and authorities have set out to integrate with European standards and values and Switzerland supports this agenda. Overall, I am glad to have served at such intense and interesting times towards bringing our two countries closer and towards supporting Albania’s efforts.  
- The next four-year programme of cooperation between Switzerland and Albania was launched in early May 2022, which is a follow up of the previous phase.  What is peculiar in the second phase and how much will it contribute to Albania’s reform and progress? 
- The new cooperation programme is a commitment to supporting Albania’s reforms and progress towards a functional democracy and a sustainable economy. It continues our previous programme and at the same time adapts to new developments and demands. The willingness and cooperation of all Albanian actors is of great importance for how successful Swiss support is. This includes the central government, but also local government, civil society, private sector, youth and academia. It’s Albania – authorities and people – who take an active role of determining where our development support is needed. I also include here all the bilateral and multilateral partners. I discussed relevant issues of cooperation with my fellow ambassadors regularly. 
In terms of results, I would mention our intervention in waste management in Berat where a new way of depositing and tackling waste is under way. The region is now cleaner, no more dumping into the Osum river, and the municipality has more capacities to manage waste. A second example is our support to civic engagement: in several cases citizens and communities have been able to pursue their rights and solve problems. A third example is improving primary healthcare especially in the Fier and Dibër regions, where home-based care has been introduced, as well as contributing to Albania’s strategies on primary health care and home based care. And I would also mention that in vocational education I am glad to see that private sector is more involved and collaborative with schools. A last example is the delivery of social services and social protection to vulnerable persons in 30 municipalities, an excellent cooperation between the Government of Albania, the municipalities, the United Nations and Switzerland. The list of results would be much longer but these are just a few.  
Allow me to add a word on the importance of the local, municipal level of governance, which delivers services close to citizens’ and local private sector needs. We should strengthen this level of governance, paying attention to fiscal decentralization and even fiscal autonomy, sharing political power more broadly and positively, and engaging in effective consultations. I have seen in my country how much this can contribute to political, social and economic stability and cohesion. 
- During your mandate Albania – just like Switzerland and the whole world – was hit by Covid-19 pandemic. How did you and your embassy felt at its climax and what was Switzerland’s contribution to Albania during those hard times? 
- Covid-19 came as an unwelcome – and as some experts say: avoidable - crisis when Albania had just dealt with the first blow: the earthquake of November 2019. This ‘twin crisis’ meant that we as Swiss representation had to adapt and respond. As one of the main partners supporting the health sector, our response to Covid-19 included both immediate equipment and longer-term capacity building. As an adaptation of our support in the wake of Covid-19 we now are preparing a health emergency project with the aim of improving further Albania’s integrated emergency services. 
- How do you see Albania’s and the Western Balkans progress towards EU accession, especially in the context of the latest developments in Ukraine? 
- The war in Ukraine is very concerning. Besides its devastating impact on Ukraine’s population and economy, it also affects negatively the international order of peace and stability, the global economy and social conditions, and of course the Western Balkan region. The developments in Ukraine have only strengthened the resolve of many actors in Albania, in the Western Balkans, and in Europe to move forward with European integration. 
In my careful reading of the European Commission reports, I see that Albania has fulfilled conditions for the opening of EU accession talks since 2019. It is now up to the European Union to take the next steps. 
- In the meantime, Switzerland adopted the EU sanctions against Russia. How does this match with the traditional Swiss neutrality? 
- Russia's large-scale military aggression against Ukraine represents a security risk for the entire continent, which is a matter of deep concern to us. Russia's military aggression against Ukraine is also a massive violation of international law.  The Federal Council took the decision to adopt the EU sanctions against Russia and to strengthen thus their impact. 
In this decision the Federal Council took Switzerland’s neutrality and peace policy very much into account. Switzerland continues to adhere to neutrality, and the adoption of EU sanctions does not change this. Neutrality in the narrower sense, i.e. the law of neutrality, is unswervingly observed by Switzerland. It does not favour any warring party militarily. Neutrality in the broader sense, the neutrality policy, allows for adequate policy response and flexibility. Extraordinary developments are taken into account. 
- During your tenure in Albania you had opportunities to travel throughout the country. What are your main impressions from Albania and its people, their past, present and expectations for the future? 
- I have been impressed from visits in the many historical sites present in Albania. They show clearly that Albania has always been part of Europe and belongs to Europe. Places like Butrint or Orikum testify the sequence and simultaneous presence of European civilisations in Albania as well as other influences.  
One of the most amazing features of Albania is religious harmony. Albania as a nation with several religious communities that are in peace and harmony is a story to be told. It is more than just tolerance. I saw a great example of this when our Embassy produced a calendar dedicated to religious harmony. 
I visited the former political prison of Spaç several times.  I was impressed by how harsh and repressive Albania’s dictatorship was. I heard touching stories of how people were treated in Spaç and similar prisons during the communist period and it is something that should never repeat itself again. Traces of the past are still present – in society, people and culture. In my modest view, Albania needs to continue do deal with its past and we are ready to support this together with other international partners.   
- To conclude, Mr. Ambassador, how would you assess the bilateral relations and exchanges between Switzerland and Albania? 
- Our relations are excellent and getting even closer. Switzerland remains a partner that supports Albania in building effective institutions for reforms, positive change and European integration. 
We would like to see Albania further develop its democracy – including independent state powers and checks and balances, and seize economic opportunities. All this will provide alternatives and life choices for the young and brilliant people in Albania so they can better choose whether to leave or – hopefully - to stay. It is good that other countries benefit from the smartness and skills of young Albanians, but Albania itself as well needs them very much for its development and future.