Minister of Integration participates in the “Investments and legitimacy” summit in Italy

Minister of Integration participates in the “Investments and legitimacy” summit in Italy

Minister of Integration speech in the summit “Investimenti e Legalita” held in Bari, Italy.

Mrs. Majlinda BREGU, Minister of Integration

Speech in Bari, Italy

Honourable Excellencies,

Honourable friends and participants,

Today, it’s a particular pleasure for me to discuss with you on matters regarding our common interests and particularly the Region of Puglia and Albania.

First and foremost allow me to thank our friendly neighbour, Italy and its regions for the constant support towards Albania during these post-communist transition years and especially to Albania’s efforts for integration to the European family.

Both countries gain from this cooperation, founded on our common values and interests to the benefit of our citizens living on both shores of the Adriatic.

Our geographic proximity encourages cooperation on development policies and common achievements, but this requires the intensification of relations between Albania and Italy, with special focus to Puglia region through dialogue and sharing of our vision for tomorrow.

In the role of the Minister of Integration, I have always considered Italy as an ally to Albania’s efforts for European integration; also for the fact that Italy is our number one trade partner. An integrated Albania means lifting barriers to our social, cultural and trade cooperation. It also means better cohesion and improved direct human cooperation, because we believe that true integration of Albania is not a trophy to win, but the integration with your citizens.

One of our cooperation areas has been the coordination, management and monitoring of INTERREG programmes. These programmes starting in the ‘90s, marked a new era of cooperation between our countries, contributed to mutual understanding and projected common cooperation areas for the future.

It is no coincidence that in 2004 our countries started sharing the management of two INTERREG programmes. These programmes from 2004 are called “joint programmes” and aim at implementing EU regional policy. To be more specific, under the programme Italy-Adriatic where Albania is one of the participant countries (with a budget of EUR 400 million of INTERREG and EUR 6 million of CARDS for Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro), 23 projects with Albanian partners have already been approved.

On the other hand, under the neighbourhood Programme Italy-Albania managed by the Ministry of Integration and Puglia region, joint management amounts to EUR 3 million EUR for Albania and EUR 72.8 million for Italy.

Taking in consideration the fact that both our countries share the same European integration vision and foster the need for cross border cooperation, we are committed to this cause and to our common path of cooperation. This bond is confirmed also by the Adriatic Programme initiative for 2007-2013 from which Albania is allocated and shall manage EUR 15 million only for the period 2007-2009.

Building of a healthy mutual relation, a clear vision for the road ahead of us and of the implementing capacity for these projects, necessarily requires enhancement of common capacities in order to better project this cooperation.

By capacities I mean people with qualitative training, deep knowledge on resources from both shores of the Adriatic, who speak the same language of mind, who are open-minded and know how to benefit from the future.

Not only this, but these people should be supported by regional and local policies, also central; and to provide them not only with funds, but also with ideas. In this context, I believe that the establishment of an Italian-Albanian Centre with representatives from both countries is very welcome and shall strongly contribute to facilitate implementation of ideas of mutual interest.

In fact, this Centre shall be in place under the regional cooperation Puglia-Albania, but it still does not satisfy our ambition to achieve more. From today, we shall do more and we truly need meetings like this.

Once again thank you for this chance for dialogue as a prerogative to development.

I wish you all the best.