TIRANA, Feb. 18, 2022 – Albania and Switzerland have signed an agreement on social security that would allow their citizens with a work history in both countries to get full access to social security benefits.
Albanian Minister of Finance and Economy Delina Ibrahimaj and Swiss Minister for Internal Affairs, Health and Social Protection Alain Berset signed the agreement on Friday in Tirana.
The new bilateral agreement formalizes social security relations between Switzerland and Albania. It covers insurance for the elderly, as well as for survivors and the disabled, and complies with international standards for the coordination of social security systems.
Minister Ibrahimaj said that the signing of the agreement confirms the will and commitment of the Albanian Government and the Swiss Confederation to deepen cooperation and advance the excellent relations between the two countries.
“The implementation of the agreement will have a financial effect for Albanian citizens at the moment when they have reached retirement age, when the right to benefits from the social insurance system arises,” Minister Ibrahimaj said.
There are approximately 2,000 Albanian citizens living and working in Switzerland, excluding Albanian citizens with dual citizenship.
According to the agreement, no citizen will lose a single day of contributions, regardless of where they worked, as the union of periods will make it possible to meet the legal conditions for receiving a pension in both countries.
“The signing of this agreement improves the social protection of Albanian citizens returning to their country. It contributes to the strengthening of very good bilateral relations between Albania and Switzerland,” Swiss Minister Berset said.
The agreement ensures that Swiss and Albanian citizens receive equal treatment in terms of social security rights, facilitates access to these benefits and allows pensions to be paid abroad.
It also lays the groundwork for bilateral cooperation to combat fraud and social security abuses.
Moreover, the agreement facilitates the mobility of Swiss and Albanian citizens and protects them from dual social security contributions.
The agreement will enter into force once approved by the parliaments of the two countries.
Minister Berset and Minister Delina Ibrahimaj also discussed the special support measures that their governments have taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the lessons learned from the crisis.
They also spoke about the challenges facing pension systems and efforts to keep them sustainable.
