Albania signs free trade agreement with Turkey

TIRANA, Dec. 23 – Albania and Turkey signed Friday the free trade agreement, which was the last that the Balkan country was signing with regional states. The agreement was signed from Turkish Foreign Trade Minister Kursat Tuzmen and Albanian Minister of Economics, Commerce and Energy Genc Ruli in the Albanian capital of Tirana. Tuzmen was in Tirana to hold talks with Albanian officials. According to the agreement, no tariffs will be put on Albanian industrial goods exported to Turkey and tariffs for certain Turkish products will be reduced before they will eventually be exempted in five years. Albania will also apply certain tax exemptions to attract Turkish investors. The agreement, which envisages increase of bilateral commercial relations and investments, will enter into force following its ratification in the parliaments of the two countries. Tuzmen said during meetings with Albanian senior officials that his country would like to make more investments in Albania. Tuzmen also attended inauguration of Turkish Honorary Consulate in Durres. Tuzmen said, “The Free Trade Agreement and opening of the Honorary Consulate will help our efforts to further improve the bilateral relations between our countries.” “The trade volume between Turkey and Albania is currently about 210 million USD. This amount is far away from the desired levels. As Turkey, we want to invest in the sectors of industry and tourism in Albania,” he added. It is expected that the free trade agreement will improve the trade and mutual investments. Tuzmen said that the relations with Albania developed in a very healthy way. Stressing that the trade volume will grow rapidly in the future, Tuzmen said, “We have lots of joint projects to activate. For instance, Turkish firms are working hard to establish a free zone at the Durres port. On the other hand, a Turkish company desires to bid in the Albanian telecommunications tender. I have asked for both the President’s and Premier’s support on this issue. I hope we will get positive results”. Both countries also expressed their interest to establish a sea link between Durres and Izmir.
Tuzmen met with all Albanian top officials, including President Alfred Moisiu, Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj. Moisiu invited Turkish firms to make investments in the Albanian coasts as the tiny Balkan country intends to make tourism as its main resource of income as it has a remarkable potential for tourism. Berisha stated that the free trade agreement between Albania and Turkey would not only contribute to the trade between the two countries but also to the regional trade.
Berisha said that negotiations had started with the Turkish “Calik Holding” on the Albtelecom sale and it is expected there will be results this month. Albania, or better say, Berisha’s government canceled and that was also approved by the parliament the sale of Albtelecom to Turkish Calik company, but since then there heave been developments, especially after Berisha’s visit to Turkey in September. It is now expected that the former contract of Albtelecom sale will remain the same and Albania will ask only to change some articles in that contract.
Mustafaj told Tuzmen that Albania would welcome Turkish investment in the country and that economic relations should be raised to the level of the political ones, which are considered very high. Albania, said Mustafaj would welcome a visit from Turkish prime minister and foreign minister as well.
Albania also thanked Turkey for its support in the country’s integration efforts into NATO, which Albania hopes to join by 2008.