Italy on Monday confirmed its "convinced support" for Albania's bid to join the European Union during talks in Rome between deputy foreign minister Emanuela Del Re and her Albanian counterpart Etjen Xhafaj, who urged deeper economic ties between the two countries, said a foreign ministry statement.
"The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs confirmed Italy's convinced support, especially its hope that accession negotiations will soon be opened," said the statement.
During her talks with Xhafaj, Del Re also urged Albania's political parties to engage in dialogue "in the general interest of the country and in view of the adoption and implementation of the reforms needed to allow Albania to proceed on the path of European integration," it said.
Recalling that Albania has one of the youngest populations in Europe, Del Re also underlined the importance of giving young Albanians prospects for the future, the statement said.
Italy and Albania need to further deepen their economic relations, creating mechanisms to attract more Italian investments in the country, said Xhafaj.
Del Re acknowledged the positive contribution Albanian residents made to Italian society and to the national economy and mulled the possibility of Albanian being taught as a a second language in schools in areas of Italy with a high Albanian immigrant population, the statement added.
The EU's 28 EU members states in June unanimously agreed to take "a clear and substantive decision" on opening accession talks with Albania and with and North Macedonia no later than October.
European Commission in May recommended opening accession negotiations with Albania, which became an official EU accession candidate in June 2014.
Albania - which is already a NATO member - has made only limited progress in combating money laundering, EU and US officials say.
The Balkan state is perceived as one of Europe's most corrupt countries, according to Transparency International.
Italy and Poland are among a group of 13 countries that favour opening accession talks with Albania and with North Macedonia despite resistance from northern Europe due to concerns over the countries' progress on reforms and the bloc's ability to absorb new members.
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