Italy is Albania's "most trusted supporter" in its bid to join the European Union, foreign minister Igli Hasani told Adnkronos in an interview ahead a visit to Tirana by his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani on Friday.
"Italy is our most trusted supporter at the European level and the strongest and most-listened-to voice in Brussels in support of Albania and the Western Balkans on their European path," Hasani said.
Tajani "is a friendly minister of a friendly country and as such will always be welcomed in Albania," Hasani continued.
Visits like Tajani's to Albania and ones by top Albanian officials to Italy "confirm the excellent state of relations between Rome and Tirana," he said.
EU candidate Albania and Italy last month signed a contested deal to build two migrant processing centres to handle the asylum claims of migrants rescued at sea by the Italian navy, coast guard and police.
