TIRANA, June 24 /ATA/ The meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) was held in Tirana. This high-level session was co-chaired by the National IPA Coordinator of Albania and representatives of the European Commission.
In her opening remarks, Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, commended the progress achieved to date.
She emphasized that the European Union remains the largest donor in Albania, having provided over €1.9 billion in financial assistance through pre-accession grants since 2007.
In addition, the EU has supported total investments amounting to €4.7 billion since 2008, while in 2024 alone, €197 million in IPA funds have been committed to support Albania.
The National IPA Coordinator and Director General of the Agency, Eridana Çano, emphasized that the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance is not merely a funding instrument, but a transformative driver that fosters change in governance, investment, and social development.
According to her, this instrument facilitates alignment with the EU acquis, supports the modernization of institutions, advances infrastructure development, fosters human capital growth, and promotes innovation in public policy, thereby playing a critical role on the pathway to full membership in the European Union.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Finance Andi Mehmeti, who also serves as the new National Authorizing Officer for IPA funds, assured that Albania is fully committed to strengthening administrative capacities and internal control systems.
He mentioned the implementation of a training plan for staff involved in the management of EU funds, as well as the national anti-fraud strategy, developed in close cooperation with European institutions. /j.p/sm/
