Meta secures Italy’s further support in integration

TIRANA, Oct 22 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta made an official visit in Italy to meet with his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini.
Their discussions focused on the progress of bilateral and multilateral ties, Albanian immigrants in Italy, developments of regional policy and Albania’s European integration, especially the visa liberalization process.
Meta also had a series of meetings with senior personalities in Italian politics, as well as with ambassadors of countries accredited in Albania with residence in Rome.
The idea of an Italian nuclear reactor in Albania was also an issue for which the media was interested.
Frattini said that Albania, or the Land of the Eagles as he called it, had a “positive attitude” about a possible collaboration on a nuclear reactor with Italy, which has been interested to secure another energy resource for itself.
But the minister made it clear that it was “too early” to make any prediction.
He said that some big Italian companies, including ENEL, have already shown interest in building major projects for the energy sector in Albania, particularly in hydro.
Frattini also assured Albania that Italy would continue to be Albania’s main advocate for the country’s integration process toward the European Union.
He said that Albania had considerable progress in many spheres like those in the fight against organized crime and corruption, border management, and market economy.
He also tried to assure Meta that Albania would enjoy the visa free regime with the EU Schengen countries within the first half of next year.
Meta assured Frattini that Tirana would make its utmost to fulfill all the required steps in the road map set for that goal.
Frattini is to visit Tirana next month.