Herzog to visit Serbia and Albania in trip aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations

President Isaac Herzog will fly to Serbia and Albania tomorrow, which will include the first presidential visit to Tirana. The focus of the visit will be to “strengthen security, strategic, and diplomatic cooperation,” says The President’s Residence.

He will use Wing of Zion, Israel’s official government transport plane that took Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington in July in its maiden voyage.

Herzog will be received at the airport in Belgrade by Foreign Minister Marko Đurić, whose cousin Alon Ohel was kidnapped from the Supernova festival by Hamas on October 7. Ohel’s mother will be joining Herzog’s delegation.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will greet Herzog with an official reception, before the two meet privately, joined by Serbia’s prime minister and speaker of parliament.

Herzog will take off on Thursday for Tirana to meet Albanian President Bajram Begaj and Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama. He will also meet descendants of Albanians who saved Jews in the Holocaust.

Trade and economic officials will join Herzog, as will diplomats from the Foreign Ministry.

CIA director Bill Burns was in Serbia last month and met with his Serbian counterpart, and the two discussed Israel’s security situation, among other issues. Serbia is an important security partner for Israel.

“Both countries are close allies of Israel, providing unwavering support in various international forums and engaging in extensive security and strategic cooperation with Israel,” says Herzog’s office.