It is “one of Italy’s goals and interests to facilitate the European Union’s granting of candidate status to Albania in every way possible”, asserted Minister for Foreign Affairs Giulio Terzi at the end of a meeting at the foreign ministry in Rome with his Albanian counterpart Edmond Panariti. Tirana, Terzi continued, “is making a major effort regarding the internal policies and reforms” required by Brussels to obtain that status by the end of October 2012.
Important strides
Panariti confirmed that Albania “is making major strides in the completion of electoral reforms, we are moving forward with parliamentary procedures”, while the reform on reduction of immunities that is the “essential point for completion of the 12 points specified by Brussels for achieving candidate status”. The minister added that working in Albania’s favour was the “constructive role it plays in a regional context as a stability factor”, for obtaining status, which could be achieved also thanks to “Italy’s support”.
Solid partnership
Italy and Albania have a solid partnership. Economic relations are “very intense” and Italy is Albania’s top partner, Terzi underscored, recalling the many recent bilateral meetings between Albanian and Italian authorities, and expressing his intention to visit Tirana in the near future. Cultural collaboration also plays an important part: Italy will support the events celebrating the Albanian state’s 100th anniversary next November, and “at the same time we wish to intensify Italy’s presence in Albania through Italian language courses. We must however get closer to the younger generations”, and for this reason the minister launched an “appeal” to the media “to show what Albania has become over the past 20 years and what the Albanian community in Italy has contributed to the maturation of our society”.
Italy “has always been Albania’s most important strategic partner”, Panariti pointed out, expressing his hopes for reinforced economic relations through the participation of Italian firms in the development of Albanian infrastructures. On the cultural front, Italy is “our window on the Western world and it is therefore very important for us to speak Italian”, he concluded.
