Italy remains the main supporter of Albania's integration into the European Union.
Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka hosted her Italian counterpart, Elisabetta Trenta. During the joint media statement, Albanian Minister said Italy is one of the most loyal allies of our country and in this context one of the main supporters of our integration into the European Union."This visit is a good opportunity to talk closely about important issues in the field of security and defense. Italy remains one of the closest partners, a historic ally on our path to our integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, as it is on our side on the path to full integration into the European Union," said Minister Xhaçka.
"This year alone, we have doubled our military troops participating in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. Our military ships work hard every day to save innocent lives of people in the Aegean Sea. Our Demining Contingent (EOD) within the NATO Advanced Force continues to receive maximum assessments of their contribution to the security of the territory and Allied citizens in Latvia. We discussed that the presence of our military in KFOR Kosovo is an example of correctness and cooperation, a clear reflection of our desire for peace, stability, cooperation and coexistence in the region. Albania and Albanians will continue to be stability factors and promoters of integration policies for the Balkan countries. Albania will be chairing several regional initiatives next year such as the US-Adriatic Charter (A5) Initiative and the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial Initiative," said Xhaçka.