TIRANA, Jan. 13 – The Minister of Finance and Economy in Albania, Anila Denaj, paid an official visit to Croatia on Monday, where she met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in Croatia, Zdravko Marić, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Craftsmanship, Darko Horvat, and the Minister of Tourism, Gari Cappelli, to discuss about the future economic cooperation between Albania and Croatia.
During the meetings, their counterparts reaffirmed the excellent relations between the two countries and the continued support that Croatia has provided to Albania, while expressing confidence that economic relations between the two have greater opportunities and potential for development.
Minister Denaj said that Croatia’s experience in implementing the fiscalization process, in attracting foreign investment, in developing the tourism sector and even in the integration process as the last country to become part of the EU, serves as a great model for Albania.
“Our readiness and commitment to welcome Croatian investments and projects in strategic sectors is high. We would also gladly welcome any institutional support in the framework of technical talks with the European Commission and political ones with the general EU structures,” Minister Denaj said during the visit.
On his part, Minister Horvat pledged the Croatian government’s support for Albania’s integration in the EU, the initiation of procedures for a direct Zagreb-Tirana airline, and actual economic cooperation in sectors such as tourism, maritime trade and craftsmanship.
“Investments in tourism, agri-tourism and agriculture as well as investments in renewable energy can be potentially developed to create a new standard for business models in these areas,” Minister Denaj added later during the Joint Business Forum organized by the two National Chambers of Commerce of the two countries.
Denaj said that trade between countries has been steadily increasing, but insufficiently, as the potential for cooperation is even greater.
Following the Memorandum ‘On Cooperation in the field of Entrepreneurship’ signed in Tirana in July of last year, communication between the two countries has increased, making way for further cooperation between investment agencies or fiscal administrations in both countries. In Moreover, in November of last year, Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council RCC) also spoke of the potential of economic cooperation between Croatia and the Western Balkans and the hope vested in the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council.
