Albania–Italy relations
Bilateral relations / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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.
Albania |
Italy |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Albania Rome | Embassy of Italy Tirana |
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]