Speaking today from Skopje during her official visit, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Elisa Spiropali said Corridor VIII is a project of exceptional strategic importance. She said it must become a new space of opportunity and connectivity for the region.

During a joint press conference with North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski, Spiropali stressed that the first ministerial meeting on Corridor VIII, set to take place in Tirana in February 2026, should mark a turning point. She said it should institutionalize five-party cooperation among Italy, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Romania.

“This meeting must deliver concrete results,” Spiropali said. “It should approve a shared strategic framework that turns Corridor VIII into a driver of economic development and European integration.”

Moreover, she said the potential for cooperation between the two countries remains strong, especially in the economic field.

She called for intensified direct investment. In particular, she urged the removal of barriers to mutual investments in sectors such as banking, industry, tourism, and the creation of joint companies in each other’s markets.

“We need to work harder to create a favorable climate for business and investment,” she said. “This approach will directly benefit our economies and our citizens.”

Finally, Spiropali underlined a shared goal: transforming the Albanian–North Macedonian space into a strategic European area.

“Let us continue working to turn this space into one where the border is not a line of division,” she concluded, “but a meeting line—a bridge for people, business, energy, transport, and trust.”

/a.c/