TIRANA, Aug 21 /ATA/ “Albania has finalized a draft agreement and appointed a negotiating team for the mutual recognition of pensions with Greece.
“We are now awaiting, first and foremost, the political will of the Greek side to formally launch the agreement,” stated Olta Manjani, Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation.
Manjani underlined that while such agreements involve inevitable financial costs, they also create a vital opportunity for citizens of both countries to enjoy their pension rights.
“Apart from the financial considerations, it is crucial for both sides to maintain close coordination and political commitment, as any delays could extend the process by over five years. We are confident that with joint will and cooperation, pension recognition can be completed in the shortest time possible,” stated Manjani.
“Albania currently maintains agreements for the mutual recognition of work years with Turkey, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Canada, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, and most recently Serbia. Once all agreements are finalized, this number is expected to increase to 21. I also highlighted that, beyond EU countries, we are pursuing agreements with other nations with which we have frequent trade relations,” Manjani stated.
“I also highlighted that, beyond the EU countries, we are working to secure agreements with other nations with which we maintain frequent trade relations,” Manjani stated.
Meanwhile, in addition to Greece, efforts for negotiations are also underway with the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Moldova, Slovenia, Australia, Norway, and Sweden.
/sm/
