Albania–Italy relations

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
See also: List of ambassadors of Albania to Italy
Albanian–Italian relations
Map indicating locations of Albania and Italy

Albania
Italy
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Albania
Rome		Embassy of Italy
Tirana

Albania has an embassy in Rome and two general consulates in Bari and Milan. Italy has an embassy in Tirana and a general consulate in Vlorë.

Due to the strong presence of Albanians in Italy and the historic presence of the Arbëreshë people there, the two countries today enjoy very friendly diplomatic relations. There are frequent high-level contacts between the governments of Albania and Italy. Both countries are members of many international organizations and share common political views about the Balkans and the world, with Italy being a strong supporter of the EU candidacy of Albania. During a visit by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Tirana, Albania was considered by Renzi to be Italy's closest partner in the region.[1]

There is a great degree of historical and cultural similarities between Albanians and Italians which has aided cultural relations greatly. Albania is also home to 20,000 Italian migrants and has a 5,000 Italian indigenous community.[2]

The countries are as well members of the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Council of Europe. As a member and founder of the European Union
(EU), Italy supports Albania in its euro-integration path and is considered one of the strongest supporters of Albania.

In March 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Albania sent Italy 90 doctors and nurses to cope with the pressure the Italian health system was experiencing. This act of solidarity further strengthened the good relations between the two nations.[3]

History

Early history

Further information:
Arbëresh

Modern history

Further information:
Albanian Kingdom (1939–43)
Italian soldiers in Vlorë, Albania during World War I. The tricolour flag of Italy bearing the Savoy royal shield is shown hanging alongside an Albanian flag from the balcony of the Italian headquarters.
Road signs bilingual, in Italian and Albanian in Piana degli Albanesi

Formal relations between the two countries commenced in 1912, as the Kingdom of Italy supported the Albanian Declaration of Independence in said year. Italy's policies of the time towards Albania were adopted as a counterbalance to Austria's pressure in the Balkans.[4]

During the World War I, the Italian protectorate over Albania was established by the Kingdom of Italy in an effort to secure a de jure independent Albania under Italian control. It existed from June 23, 1917, until the summer of 1920. From June 4 to September 3, 1920, a series of battles between Italian forces garrisoned throughout Vlorë region and Albanian nationalists divided in small groups of fighters happened and these battles were later called as the Vlora War, which ended the Italian Protectorate over Albania.

Later during the

Lek.[5]

Victor Emanuel III
, 28 September 1939.

On April 7, 1939, Mussolini's troops invaded Albania, declaring it again as an

King Zog was forced into exile, and the country was made part of the Italian Empire as a separate kingdom in personal union with the Italian crown
.

After the capitulation of Italy in 1943, relations between Italy and Albania were interrupted. During the communist rule in Albania, the country was isolated and no relations were carried with western countries, including Italy.

Relations were reestablished after the

1997 rebellion, through Operation Alba
.

Economic relations

The Italian Embassy Building in Tirana

Italy is the main export partner of Albania, with 45.33% of Albanian exports going to Italy in 2020,

maritime border and there is an Exclusive economic zone
between them. Italy has financed different projects in many fields, such as political, judicial, energy and tourism.

Visits

On 24 November 2008, the then Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, carried a state visit in Tirana, where he met with his counterpart PM Sali Berisha. During this visit an agreement was signed on the construction of two coal-fired power plants, financed by Italy which would help boost Albania's economy.[8]

Former President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano visited Tirana on 4 March 2014, where he met with the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament and he also held a meeting with the Italian community that lives in Tirana.[9] Later on 10 March governments of both countries signed an agreement on energy cooperation promoting interconnection and integration of electric energy and natural gas systems in both countries, which was important decision for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project, which will transport natural gas, starting from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy and further to Western Europe.[10]

On December 20, 2014, the Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi visited Albania, during a state visit in which he met with the PM of Albania Edi Rama, President Bujar Nishani and members of the Italian community in Tirana. During this meeting an agreement on the recognition of pensions was signed. During his speech, PM Renzi said that Albania is Italy's closest ally in the region and that Italy fully supports the future integration of Albania in EU.[11][12]

On 13 October 2016, the President of the

Chamber of Deputies of Italy Laura Boldrini visited Tirana, once again supporting the integration path of Albania and the juridical reform recently passed by the Parliament.[13]

Guest Host Place of visit Date of visit
Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Albania Prime Minister Sali Berisha Tirana 28.11.2008
Albania President Bujar Nishani Italy President Giorgio Napolitano Rome 28.12.2012
Italy President Giorgio Napolitano Albania President Bujar Nishani and Prime Minister Edi Rama Tirana 4.3.2014
Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Albania President Bujar Nishani and Prime Minister Edi Rama Tirana 30.12.2014
Albania President Bujar Nishani Italy San Cosmo Albanese Commune Cosmo Azzinari (Visited the Arbëreshë population in Calabria) San Cosmo Albanese 8–9.4.2015
Albania President Ilir Meta Italy President Sergio Mattarella Rome 13–14.9.2015

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] Italian PM Renzi: Albania, our closest partner
  2. ^ "Albania: Italians move across Adriatic 'seeking work'". BBC News. June 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "Albania Sends 30 Doctors to Help Italy Fight Coronavirus". BalkanInsight. March 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Vučetić, Bojana (2016). "An overview of Serbian historiography on Serbian-Italian relations". Collection of Works - the Institute of History Belgrade. 28.
  5. ^ "Italy and Albania: A political and economic alliance, and the Italian invasion of 1939".
  6. ^ "Albania Imports, Tariffs by country and region 2020 | WITS Data". wits.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  7. ^ "Albania Exports by country and region 2020 | WITS Data". wits.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  8. ^ [2] Italy PM to Visit Albania to Seal Coal Plant Deal
  9. ^ "Italia-Albania, Napolitano giunto a Tirana per visita di Stato". Archived from the original on 2017-01-08. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  10. ^ [3] Archived 2020-06-25 at the Wayback Machine Intergovernmental agreement between Albania and Italy: important milestone for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project achieved
  11. ^ [4] Archived 2016-11-24 at the Wayback Machine Italy-Albania, agreement on the recognition of pensions
  12. ^ [5] Archived 2016-11-25 at the Wayback Machine President Nishani received the Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi, who is in Albania on official visit
  13. ^ "Presidenti Nishani pret Kryetaren e Dhomës së Deputetëve të Parlamentit italian, Laura Boldrini dhe e dekoron për kontributin e dhënë në forcimin e marrëdhënieve mes dy vendeve me medaljen "Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu" | President". Archived from the original on 2016-10-13. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
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