According to foreign trade data, exports to Kosovo rose by 22.5% in September compared with the same month in 2025, while exports to Greece increased by 13.9%.

The National Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, said exports to Italy, by contrast, fell by 4%, while those to Switzerland declined by 3.8%.

On the import side, Türkiye and Greece recorded the largest annual increases, at 6.8% and 3.8%, respectively. Imports from Italy fell by 14.1%, while those from China dropped by 7%.

EU countries continue to represent an important market for Albanian products, INSTAT said.

In September 2026, 68.7% of Albania’s total exports went to EU countries, while 48.9% of imports came from the bloc.

Overall, trade with the European Union accounted for 54.6% of Albania’s total foreign trade during the month.

Foreign trade data also showed an increase in the value of exports.

Exports reached 31.2 billion leks in September, up 14.8% year on year and 52.1% from August.

Imports totalled 78.6 billion leks, up 4.8% annually, while the trade deficit narrowed by 0.9% year on year and 13.9% month on month to 47.3 billion leks.

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In his remarks, Minister Demo highlighted that relations between the two countries are grounded in historical ties, shared traditions and people-to-people cooperation, all of which create a solid foundation for the further development of the partnership.

Referring to economic cooperation, he noted that trade exchanges between Albania and Greece have surpassed €1 billion, with more than 300 Greek companies operating in the Albanian market.

Demo paid special attention to regional cooperation through the Interreg program, under which Albania and Greece are implementing 20 projects with a total value of €25 million, involving 55 partners—roughly half of whom are municipalities. These projects cover areas that directly impact citizens’ lives, ranging from eco-tourism to infrastructure and local development.

In his capacity as Minister of the Interior, Demo also emphasized strengthening cooperation on border management—in line with Schengen standards—as well as on combating organized crime and trafficking and on civil protection. He cited the cross-border cooperation between Albanian and Greek firefighting services as an example, noting its contribution to enhancing the logistical and professional capacities needed to handle emergencies.

Speaking about Albania’s European integration, Demo acknowledged Greece’s continued support for this process and expressed confidence that cooperation between the two countries would remain vital on the path to European Union membership, with Albania aiming to conclude negotiation chapters by 2027. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the initiative during a meeting in the municipality of Prespa with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and North Macedonia’s Culture and Tourism Minister Sedat Sulejman.

“Prespa unites us through its nature, history and culture. We want to protect this heritage, create more opportunities for local communities and promote sustainable tourism,” Gonxhja said.

The European Union will provide 2 million euros to fund a feasibility study for the trilateral nomination, he added.

Gonxhja highlighted restoration work on the murals at St. Mary’s Church on Maligrad island, improved lighting at the church and along the access path, and the Sterjo Spasse House Museum in Gollomboç as projects that have enriched the Albanian side of the region’s cultural and tourism offer.

He also cited the EU-funded ACT4PRESPA project, which brings together institutions from all three countries to conserve, digitise and promote the heritage of Great and Small Prespa.

Plans include developing joint tourist routes, research missions and expeditions to promote Prespa and Ohrid, alongside artistic, sporting and youth exchanges between the neighbouring countries.

The joint UNESCO bid aims to strengthen cross-border heritage protection and create new development opportunities for local communities through sustainable tourism.

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On this significant milestone for Greek football, President Duka conveyed his congratulations to the President of the Hellenic Football Federation Chrysostomos Gkagkatsis, as well as to the entire Greek football family.

In his message, President Duka acknowledged the history and contribution of Greek football, describing the centenary as a significant moment worthy of applause and honor.

“Congratulations to the Hellenic Football Federation on its 100th anniversary! A significant milestone for Greek football and a rich history worthy of applause and honor. My warmest wishes to President Chrysostomos Gkagkatsis and the entire Greek football family. Happy 100th anniversary!” wrote President Duka.

Attendance at this event marks another highlight in the relationship and cooperation between the football institutions of both countries, within the framework of regional and European ties between the federations. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

The visit focused on expanding practical cooperation between Albania and Greece in areas of shared security interest, while also reinforcing coordination within NATO and support for regional stability.

During the meeting, both sides praised the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and expressed readiness to deepen cooperation through joint initiatives, military training programmes and enhanced institutional coordination.

Defence Minister described Greece as a valued friend and ally, thanking Athens for its continued support of Albania’s European integration process.

Cybersecurity featured prominently in the discussions, with the ministers exploring opportunities to broaden cooperation in cyber defence and resilience.

“Albania has made significant progress in strengthening its cyber resilience through close cooperation with NATO allies and strategic partners, and we are ready to further expand our engagement in the cyber domain, both bilaterally and within NATO structures,” Nufi said.

Defence Minister also highlighted the strong interaction between the armed forces of the two countries through joint exercises, military education programmes, training initiatives and exchanges of expertise.

Another key topic was cooperation in addressing potential civil emergencies during the summer season, particularly in areas such as disaster response and crisis management, where both countries face similar challenges.

As part of his visit, Nufi is also scheduled to participate in the Athens Defence Conference 2026, organised by the Delphi Economic Forum and the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), at the invitation of Dendias.

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According to a statement released on Wednesday, both sides welcomed the good relations between the two countries and underlined the role of parliamentary diplomacy in deepening bilateral cooperation and advancing the region’s European agenda.

Peleshi expressed gratitude for Greece’s continued support for Albania’s EU membership bid, describing it as a strategic investment in the region’s shared European future.

“The integration of Albania and the Western Balkans into the EU remains a key factor for greater economic development and stability, benefiting our citizens and the European project itself,” Peleshi said.

The meeting reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to continued parliamentary dialogue in support of shared European objectives.

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They praised the close friendly relations between Albania and Greece, based on common strategic interests, partnership in the NATO for security and peace, as well as the common European perspective.

For his part, Kaklamanis reaffirmed his country’s support for Albania’s membership in the European Union and stressed that the expansion of Parliamentary cooperation creates new opportunities for strengthening relations between the two countries.

Economic cooperation was a key topic, highlighting increased trade, investment, infrastructure, and tourism, which signals significant potential for future partnership.

The interlocutors paid special attention to the Albanian emigrant community in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania, which constitute important connecting bridges between the two countries and the two peoples.

Reaffirming the will to further strengthen friendly relations and strategic partnership between Albania and Greece, the two Speakers assessed Parliamentary cooperation as an important instrument for promoting comprehensive bilateral cooperation, strengthening security, regional stability and promoting peace. /m.m/r.e/p.s./

Speaking at a press conference, Berisha said the deal reached before 2013 had served Albania’s interests and should have proceeded to international arbitration after it was overturned by the Constitutional Court.

Berisha said Greece had agreed for the dispute to be reviewed on the basis of the existing agreement at a time when Athens recognized only six nautical miles of territorial waters. Reopening negotiations, he said, later allowed Greece to expand its claim to 12 nautical miles.

“We support good-neighbourly relations and cooperation with the Hellenic Republic and other neighbouring countries,” Berisha said. “The issue that Mr. Dendias appears to be bringing is the maritime agreement. I have stressed repeatedly that Edi Rama, acting in the interests of third parties, did everything possible to sabotage the agreement reached with Greece before 2013.”

Berisha said the Constitutional Court had annulled the deal “in complete contradiction with Albania’s national interest”, prompting Greece to seek renewed negotiations.

“We agreed to take the agreement to The Hague,” he said. “Albania’s advantage at the time was that Greece had negotiated the deal while recognizing only six nautical miles of territorial waters for itself. Under the Law of the Sea, Greece could at any point have extended that to 12 miles.”

He said international experts who reviewed the agreement after it was overturned had concluded that the deal could have been improved marginally if reassessed, but warned that any Greek move to declare 12 nautical miles would fundamentally alter the balance against Albania.

According to Berisha, Greek authorities – drawing on extensive experience in maritime boundary issues – had initially agreed to proceed within the framework of the original deal without reasserting a 12-mile claim.

“If we had moved forward under that framework agreement, the rules could no longer have been changed midway through the process,” he said.

Berisha said subsequent negotiations between the Albanian government and Greece failed to produce a deal, while an attempt to sign an agreement in the southeastern city of Korça collapsed because of institutional objections and a Constitutional Court ruling requiring the proportionality principle to be applied in defining maritime boundaries.

Following the breakdown in talks, Greece moved to renew its claim to 12 nautical miles in territorial waters, Berisha said, describing the development as a direct consequence of the Albanian government’s handling of the issue.

“The Greek side left Korça and two or three months later announced its renewed claim to 12 nautical miles in its territorial waters,” he said.

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They talked on the current cooperation between the two countries and the joint strategic projects in the field of energy. One of the main topics in the talks was the plan for a new interconnection line that will connect the electricity networks of Albania and Greece, improving regional energy security.

“At the Energy Conference in Athens, I met with Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, to review our bilateral cooperation and discuss key projects. A major focus was our joint initiative to develop a new electricity interconnection line between Albania and Greece,” said Karakaçi.

The ministers also emphasized the significance of cooperation between the energy exchanges in the two countries, a process that has brought increased efficiency and security in the operation of energy transactions.

“We highly value the strong synergy between the Albanian and Greek energy exchanges, which has substantially enhanced operational security and transaction efficiency,” the minister said.

This meeting serves as an incentive for promotion of energy relations between Albania and Greece, focusing on projects that support regional stability and integration. /e.xh/r.e/a.f/p.s./

Speaking at the government building, where Albania, the United States and Greece signed the energy security agreement, the US ambassador emphasized that, “The $6 billion natural gas deal demonstrates that Albania is playing a growing role in the Western Balkans.”

This is a 20-year, USD 6 billion deal with US companies Venture Global and Aktor LNG USA for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG), aimed at establishing the Vlora Terminal as a critical Southeast European energy hub to curb dependency on Russian gas.

According to Guilfoyle, this initiative represents an important step towards increasing regional cooperation, strengthening energy security and building a more sustainable and prosperous future for Southeast Europe.

“The Memorandum of Understanding on the core energy hub, including a gas plant, demonstrates the significance that the Albanian government puts on sustainable energy for the benefit of Albanian citizens,” she said.

The Ambassador emphasized that, “President Trump has been an ardent champion of energy security.”

According to Guilfoyle, Albania and Greece are more than close neighbours.

“They share security interests, deep human ties and growing economic cooperation. When the US-Albania and Greece work together, whether in trade, regional dialogue, energy, the entire Western Balkans region benefits,” she said. /mk/p.s./