On the second day of his official visit to Romania, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, was received by his counterpart, Luminta Odobescu.
Minister Hasani appreciated Romania’s support in Albania’s journey towards the European Union, as he emphasized the need to speed up the integration process for the region.
“Romania will continue to be an unreserved supporter of our EU integration process, not only politically, but also with technical expertise, conveying the Romanian experience. The Action Plan for Cooperation for the next two years envisages European Integration as one of the most important areas of bilateral cooperation”, said the Albanian chief diplomat.
In his speech during the joint press statement, Minister Hasani also focused on the role of the Albanian community in Romania and the Armenian minority living in our country, as two important elements that occupy a special place in the relations between the two countries.
Minister Hasani and Romanian counterpart Odobescu signed the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of diplomatic training.
During his visit to Romania, Minister Hasani and the Minister for Labor and Social Protection, Simona Brucura Oprescu, signed the “Administrative Agreement for the Implementation of the Social Security Agreement”.  This agreement will guarantee that the citizens of both countries benefit from their contributions and receive their pensions. 700 Albanian citizens living and working in Romania benefit from this agreement.
At the same time, efforts are being made to finalize agreements in the field of education and culture, while the number of tourists has increased significantly between the two countries.
Thanks to direct flights from Tirana-Bucharest and vice versa, during 2023, the number of Romanian tourists in Albania increased by 62%, while only during the period January-May 2024 this figure reached 172%.