Albania’s Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama hosted in Tirana the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, who was in the country for a four-day visit. Rama said that negotiations are accelerating on establishing direct flight routes between Albania and New York – a step that would further strengthen ties between his country and the US, and also among communities.
“Adams has a significant role in driving this process forward. He has been instrumental in establishing such routes to other cities and we are very close to starting a direct flight to New York,” Rama said.
In addition to flights, the topic of discussion was also tourism and the potential for investment in this growing sector in Albania. Mayor Adams praised Albania’s transformation in recent decades, calling it a model for development.
“I am here to learn, to build bridges of cooperation, and to strengthen ties with a country that has one of the largest Albanian communities outside of it – specifically in New York,” Adams said.
He also showed interest in Albanian immigration policies, security, and tourism promotion, while calling for greater exchanges between young people from the two countries.
“I want to invite young Albanians to visit New York, just as I want young Americans to discover Albania,” he emphasized.
Earlier, Tirana International Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, Piervittorio Farabbi said that: “We are working intensively in this direction (flights to and from the US). We have held meetings and negotiations with the main airlines operating in the North Atlantic, we have prepared the infrastructure, we have obtained the relevant permits and certifications, and we have also activated diplomatic channels. Our goal is for direct flights to the US to begin in the IATA’s summer season and then extend throughout the year,” he says.
