Members of Bulgaria's parliamentary foreign policy committee met Wednesday in Sofia with representatives of Albania's parliamentary committee on foreign policy.

The visit took place at the initiative of socialist MP Yanaki Stoilov, chair of Bulgaria's parliamentary foreign policy committee, according to reports of the BGNES news agency.

The relations between Bulgaria and Albania were estimated as excellent and the two sides expressed intentions of deepening partnership in the sphere of regional cooperation.

Stoilov noted that Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) in the first half of 2014 and the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union created good opportunities for developing bilateral relations.

He added that the trade volume with Albania had increased over the past few years.

Stoilov pointed out that there was unused potential for cooperation and developing economic contacts in the spheres of energy, machine building, food industry, tourism and the financial sector.

Bulgarian MPs cited the development of energy projects along the Pan-European Transport Corridor 8 as a major priority.

Albanian and Bulgarian MPs discussed opportunities for negotiating direct imports of electricity from Bulgaria to Albania.

Arta Dade, Chair of the Albanian parliamentary committee on foreign policy, thanked Bulgaria for its active regional role in all initiatives in which Albania participated.

She stressed the need for more efficient cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, economy and energy.

Stoilov said that Bulgaria's goals in the sphere of economy were to achieve greater productivity and re-industrialization.

Dade noted that Albania would support Bulgaria's bid to host the Permanent Secretariat of the parliamentary dimension of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

Stoilov vowed support for granting Albania the status of an EU candidate country, adding that Bulgaria was ready to share its pre-accession experience with Albania.

Later on Wednesday, the Albanian delegation met with representatives of the Bulgarian foreign policy and defense parliamentary committee.