Tirana: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani affirmed Wednesday his country's support for accelerating accession negotiations for Albania and Montenegro to join the European Union (EU).

According to Qatar News Agency, this announcement came during press statements made in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Tajani was in the city to participate in the second ministerial meeting on the Pan-European Corridor VIII. This corridor is a strategic network connecting the Italian ports of Bari, Brindisi, and Puglia with Albania, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria, forming part of ten comprehensive European transport networks designed to enhance regional connectivity and facilitate the movement of people and goods between Western and Eastern Europe.

Tajani emphasized Italy's full support for speeding up accession negotiations for both Albania and Montenegro, as well as other candidate countries aspiring to join the EU. He highlighted the importance of European reunification and stressed that nations located geographically within Europe should not lose hope of achieving full integration into the EU bloc.

Further, the Italian foreign minister assured that Rome is committed to doing its utmost to expedite this process. He also expressed the belief that Albania and Montenegro should complete their EU accession path ahead of Ukraine and Moldova.