“Looking forward to cooperation in many areas, such as culture or tourism. During my last visit in Corfu, I saw some of the music bands there, and inspired by them, we formed the Tirana Youth Philharmonic Orchestra,” Veliaj affirmed.

The mayor underlined the friendly relationship between the two countries over the years.

“We are glad that many Albanian compatriots have turned Corfu into a second home. I remember the years of communism, when for many people Corfu was a lifeline. At that time, many people swam across the Corfu Canal to build a future in freedom. Today, what was a “forbidden apple” in the past and a dangerous journey, has become a routine between Corfu and Saranda and many Albanian citizens who have become a success story there. I am very proud of the journey we have had together in these 30 years, ” Veliaj said.

The mayor of Corfu, Merope Hydraiou, spoke about the strengthening of cooperation between Greece and Albania in various fields such as culture, education and tourism.

“I am thrilled about this meeting and cooperation with your team. You have an awesome team that supports you. I know that Tirana has received the title of “European Youth Capital” as a very developed city, and I am pleased about that. We are close neighbours and I think the time is ripe for Greece and Albania, Corfu and Tirana, to strengthen cooperation in various fields such as culture, education and tourism. We can work well with the municipalities of Tirana, Vlora and Saranda and maybe, sign a Memorandum of Understanding, whereby we can make space and explore opportunities for excellent work and sustainable development, benefiting our people, countries and cities, ” Hydraiou concluded.

After the meeting in the municipality of Tirana, the two mayors inspected the works at the Pyramid, the largest technology hub in the region.
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