Italy supports the opening of negotiations for Albania before the end of 2021

 Palazzo della Farnesina, Rome - Joint Statement of Edi Rama with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio

 Italy supports the opening of negotiations for Albania's membership in the European Union, before the end of this year (2021).

This was stated today by the Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, in a joint press statement from the Palazzo della Farnesina, Rome, with Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is paying an official visit to Italy today.

Di Maio and Prime Minister Rama chaired today the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic and Social Affairs between the two countries, which was launched a year ago during Di Maio's visit to Tirana.

"As an objective, we have the strengthening of our relations to make another important qualitative step in the cooperation between our two countries. This comes not only as an obligation from the connection between our two countries, but also from the membership in the EU, so I confirm our support for Albania on the road to membership in the European family. I hope and support the opening of membership negotiations before the end of the year," said Di Maio.

 Palazzo della Farnesina, Rome - Joint Statement of Edi Rama with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, November 17, 2021

According to him, "this would give a message of confidence and optimism for the entire Balkan region."

Di Maio assessed that the exchange they had today in the Committee was very fruitful. "Now we have an objective to have operational ideas in the coming months and for this today we agreed on an action plan to concretize the commitments we have undertaken in all strategic sectors. Several important perspectives for our cooperation emerged. In the infrastructure sector, there is talk of modernization that Prime Minister Rama has already put on the construction site, and we as Italians want to be protagonists in the implementation of these projects. On this we can rely on the presence of Italian companies operating in the Albanian market, giving a contribution to employment growth and economic growth", said Di Maio, while assessing that Italy is Albania's first trading partner.

He underlined the presence in the Albanian market of many Italian entrepreneurs and the prospect of integration through the Albania-Montenegro interconnection line.

Di Maio also drew attention to the conclusions of the Glasgow Climate Conference, where it was confirmed that cooperation in this sector should be given importance at both the national and European levels.

"From this perspective, Italy and Albania can have a leading role throughout the Western Balkans through the economic development plan, launched by the EC," he said.