Italy-Albania sign new economic cooperation agreements

TIRANA, Oct 27 – Ever closer economic cooperation, from energy to industry and the infrastructure, was the result of the visit by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini following his meetings with Albanian Premier Sali Berisha.
A series of important bilateral agreements were signed.
An agreement on the “reciprocal recognition over the conversion of driving licenses” was signed arising from the need to make citizens’ movements easier and to promote cooperation in the transport sector and traffic circulation.
A contract was also signed for rebuilding the Tirana 2 electronic substation based on funding from the development cooperation of the Foreign Office.
A choice by the Italian Cooperation motivated by the fact that the Albanian electricity system, built in the 1990s, has proved incapable of producing, transmitting and distributing enough energy to support the accelerated economic growth of the country.
Intervention in the energy sector has always been considered a top priority by Italian Cooperation agency. The Tirana 2 electricity substation represents the most important hub in the Albanian energy network.
There was also the signing of an important declaration of intent by the Gruppo Marseglia to build an energy hub in Lezha.
The first installment of credit to the Albanian authorities was also made, for small and medium-sized businesses (25 million Euros), financed by the Italian Cooperation.
There was also talk of the ‘Corridor 8. The infrastructure sector is a priority, and Corridor 8 a big priority,” said Frattini.