Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, is on a visit to Tirana.
Albania and Italy, in addition to their geographical proximity, share ties of friendship and cultural relations that have their roots way back in history. Italy’s natural political, economic and commercial interest in the Balkans finds in Albania a strategic counterpart of great relevance.
The Minister has a dense agenda of meetings, which includes the President of the Republic, Ilir Meta, the Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati.
He is also scheduled to meet with the officials and staff of Italian administrations present and operating in Albania.
The talks will offer the opportunity to review different aspects of the bilateral relations between Albania and Italy. To this effect, it is worth noting that Italy is Albania’s N. 1 trade partner and investor. Significant are also the figures on the number of people studying Italian in Albania (approx. 77,000, including school children and students) and of the number of Albanians attending Italian universities (approx. 10,000), which constitutes the largest community of foreign students.
Today’s talks will also enable an exchange of opinions on the major regional and international issues. A specific focus will be placed on the Central European Initiative (CEI), of which Italy assumed the presidency last 1 January, and Albania’s EU membership prospects that are currently at the phase of formalising the beginning of the complex and articulate negotiation process ultimately aimed at finalising Albania’s EU accession process.
