TIRANA, Dec 15 /ATA/ – Albania will complete the establishment of its Development Bank by the end of this year, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Monday, describing it as a new tool to support domestic businesses and investment projects.
Speaking at a meeting with farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in the central city of Elbasan, Rama said the bank would help finance Albanian entrepreneurship, including agricultural projects.
“Albania will finally have its Development Bank, which will serve as another tool to support business projects and your investments,” Rama said.
The government head also highlighted the role of the Agricultural University in Kamza, saying the knowhow gained by farmers over recent years was among the most important achievements in the sector and key to sustaining further transformation.
He said the university was undergoing what he described as an exemplary transformation aimed at strengthening knowhow and expertise capacity across the rural development spectrum, improving academic standards and expanding its role in supporting farmers and agribusinesses.
Rama said the government was seeking a new level of cooperation between farmers, academia and public institutions to ensure more effective use of funds allocated to agriculture, including investment and research financing.
While the state budget for agriculture has increased and will continue to grow, Rama said it remains modest compared with other potential funding sources, particularly those linked to Albania’s closer integration with the European Union.
He urged farmers to take advantage of financing opportunities emerging from the EU accession process, warning that competition in the EU’s single market would be significantly tougher.
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