TIRANA, Dec. 30 – Italian Prime Minister Mateo Renzi concluded his country’s rotating presidency of the European Union with a visit to Albania, pledging Rome’s continuous support for Albania’s efforts and reforms toward the membership into the bloc.
Renzi enjoys a special relationship with his counterpart, Edi Rama. The two men have been good friends since they served as mayors of Florence and Tirana respectively, according to several sources in the cabinet.
The visit also marked the removal of a much-hated fee for Albanian truck drivers, imposed by Italian authorities since the 1950s. Rama announced the news at a joint press conference.
Italy is Albania’s main trading partner and one of its largest investors.
Renzi and Rama also expressed condolences to the families of two Albanian sailors who lost their lives in an attempt to tow the Norman Atlantic ferry, which caught fire on its trip from Greece to Italy, killing eleven and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of passengers.
The two premiers also discussed a series of economic and cultural issues. Besides topics such as investments and migrant worker pensions, a large part of the joint press conference also dealt with the Italian-Greek ferry rescue operation.
“We join in prayer and solidarity the families of the victims, the two Albanian sailors who lost their lives and all citizens affected by the events aboard the Atlantic Norman. More than 400 lives were saved in appalling conditions,” Renzi said.
Rama praised the sailors sacrifice as a civilian tug boat, Illyria, expressing condolences to the families.
He added Albanian police had worked hard to help in the rescue operation that involved three countries.
The two prime ministers also talked about diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries.
Rome promised greater support in the way of integration into the European Union. While Tirana promised to make it easier for Italian investors to set up shop in Albania, finding young, qualified workers and substantial production resources.
Premiers Renzi and Rama announced the opening of talks between the two countries for the recognition of pension and labor insurance for citizens in the two respective countries.
Besides Greece, Italy is one of the neighboring countries with which Albania has more trade and economic exchanges and one of the countries that has hosted the highest number of Albanian migrants over the past two decades.
