"I believe that Albania can be for
Italian entrepreneurs a gateway not only to Albania, but to the
entire Balkan region." Albania's President Bajram Begaj, who
visited Chieti this morning, told reporters. "Albania is a small
country, but it holds great potential in the economic field, of
course we need to cultivate mutual interests in many areas, such
as energy, agriculture, tourism. Obviously the Italian media
have informed you that there are many Italians living, working
and studying in Albania." Upon his arrival in Chieti, Begaj, who
is accompanied by his wife, at the initiative of the Honorable
Luciano D'Alfonso, reached the historic Gran Caffè Vittoria for
coffee and on the very short route between the café and the
Province building stopped with some Albanian citizens living in
Italy.
On his way out of the Province of Chieti building, Begaj
lingered with reporters, "It is a great pleasure to be here
today: I can say that the old Arbereshe community that is in
Italy and came four centuries ago, and the new community of
immigrants who arrived after the 1990s, as well as the community
of Italians who work and live in Albania, constitute a real
bridge that binds the friendship between our two countries and
our two peoples, and I hope that this bond and this friendship
will grow further," he said.
In a final curtain call, Begaj then recalled that he had kept
his promise to the current deputy mayor of Chieti, Paolo De
Cesare, namely that he would visit the capital of Chieti, a
promise made when Begaj was still president-designate.
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