On the 1st anniversary of the launch of the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029, Ambassador Gonzato said that “the EU remains committed to helping the young generation in Albania, because it represents our future.”

“In the course of the last 3 months that I have stayed here, I have realized how this country is moving with time and the urgency to move forward is even more important. If Albania does not change, it does not modernize itself, does not develop, then young people will leave. Many have left, but I am sure that if they are offered the opportunity they will return to Albania, because I have learned that Albanians want to see a future for Albania as a fully-fledged member of the EU”, said the ambassador.
Gonzato expressed the EU’s determination to offer young people these opportunities.
He emphasized that the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029 is inspired by the EU youth strategy and is the guideline in this direction.

“Despite the funds and programs for youth that we have in Albania, and these are numerous and often in partnership with member states or the UN, in case we with all these funds and programs do not continue to offer young Albanians the opportunities which they need, then we will fail, we will disappoint the Albanian youth,” he said.

Ambassador Gonzato emphasized that “Albania’s youth is not only the future of your country, but also the future of the EU.”

“If we work hard, then the efforts will pay off and we give them chances. In recent years, the EU has started to invest heavily in the education system, modernizing various school facilities, both through the “EU for Schools” program and through partnerships. We have also offered opportunities to Albanian pupils and students to study abroad through the ‘Erassmus +’ program, which has already been expanded”, said the ambassador.

“We must also offer opportunities for employment. The Growth Plan, the reform that we are doing is a plan that we have launched and will benefit Albania a lot. It creates opportunities for a growth that must be sustainable and that must also include investments in human capital,” he said.
The ambassador underlined the importance of measures to ease the transition from education to the labor market.

“The Youth Guarantee is an example of a good policy. An EU project, an innovative scheme tested in the EU, subsidizing companies to hire young people below the age of 30 so that they can gain work experience. Over 24 million young people have benefited from the scheme in the EU. Just last month, the first pilot through a funding of 2 million euros was launched in Tirana, Shkodra and Vlora. We want this program to expand throughout Albania. We have allocated 25 million euros for this program”, said the ambassador.
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