Turkish products fair
Albania, Turkey strengthen economic cooperation
TIRANA, March 31 – A trade fair bringing together 60 Turkish companies to promote their products opened on Thursday in Tirana. Organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the fifth fair of Turkish export products, which is being held at the Palace of Congresses from March 31 to April 2, is also considered a good opportunity to increase trade exchanges between the two countries by setting new contacts.
Visiting the fair on Thursday, Prime Minister Sali Berisha described it as an important event for the country’s economy and the strengthening of trade cooperation between Albania and Turkey.
“Turkish investments in Albania have grown by five times in recent years, ranking among the most important and spanning in all fields such as telecommunications, banking, metallurgy and many others areas being real success stories,” said Premier Berisha.
Referring to Turkish-Albanian centuries-old ties, Berisha said that it is no coincidence that the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce was opening its fifth fair in Tirana, reminding that today Istanbul has more Turkish citizens of Albanian origin than Tirana.
Sixty companies will promote Turkish export products such as industrial, textile, cosmetic, furniture, construction and food. The fair is being held for the fifth time since its first edition in 2001 and is aimed at increasing trade with Turkey, which is one of Albania’s main trade partners. The fair will also bring the presentation of Turkish culinary traditions, performances by the Tuana folklore group, and different crafts such as the Turkish art of marbling (Ebru).
Turkish businesses are showing increasing interest to increase their investments in Albania in strategic sectors such as energy and tourism, Turkish Ambassador to Tirana Hasan S. Asan said during a recent meeting with Albanian Economy Minister Nasip Naco last February.
The Ambassador said Turkey’s rising interest to increase their already significant investments in Albania was a sign of confidence in Albania’s economic performance.
With already more than 1 billion euros, Minister Naco described Turkish investments in strategic sectors such as energy, telecommunications and education as very important to the Albanian economy and the thousands of people these businesses employ.
An important topic of discussion was also cooperation on natural gas, considering Albania’s favourable geographical position to also serve as a transit point to European markets.
The Economy Ministry says Albania and Turkey will soon hold the next meeting of the Inter-governmental joint commission on economic, trade and industrial cooperation.
Latest data by the Institute of Statistics show Turkey is one of Albania’s main trade partners, ranking the third biggest for Albania’s exports after Italy and Kosovo with an estimated 9.65 billion lek in 2010 and also the third most important country for imports which were at 27 billion lek. Albanian exports to Turkey in 2010 grew by a record 17 times to 9.65 billion lek, up from only 570 million lek in 2009.
“The firm friendship and centuries-old coexistence provides a perfect basis for deeper cooperation. Based on this firm foundation, it is with pleasure that we witness the developing and diversifying relations between Turkey and Albania. The number of Turkish citizens residing in Albania, the interest of Turkish businessmen and the cultural exchanges between the two nations are on the constant rise,” says Ambassador Asan in his message.
Turkey’s Calik Group, which is present in Albania with fixed-line operator Albtelecom, Eagle Mobile and Banka Kombetare Tregtare (BKT Bank), is the most successful Turkish company in Albania.
Other investments include the steel plant in Elbasan which is also run by Turkey’s Kurum and the Turgut al Education Company, which has also established the system of Turkish primary and high schools in Albania since 1992 and most recently the Epoka University.
