By JERINA ZALOSHJA-RAKIPI
ROME, Feb. 7, 2024 – After years of negotiations, Albania and Italy have signed a long-awaited deal on recognizing each other’s social insurance contributions, which will benefit more than 500,000 Albanian residents in Italy and any Italians who have worked in Albania.
“This agreement guarantees at least two very important things: the receipt of social insurance benefits and the contributions accumulated in Albania and Italy. But what is most crucial is the equal treatment of employed and self-employed individuals, both Albanian citizens and Italians,” said Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani, speaking alongside his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani after the signing ceremony.
While Albania has similar agreements in place with many other countries, the deal with Italy holds particular significance given Italy’s status as the second-largest host of Albanian migrants after Greece.
“This is an important agreement. We have been waiting for this for 15 years. What we formalized today guarantees the rights of Italian employees and Albanian workers in Italy,” said Italian Foreign Minister Tajani.
A first agreement framework with Italy, regarding social security, was agreed upon in July 2022, followed by lengthy technical negotiations between the parties that led to the final signature. Before it comes into force, the document will need to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.
“Albanian citizens in Italy or Italian citizens in Albania will present themselves at the respective social insurance offices in Italy or Albania, where they will seek information and apply as they would in their country of origin,” Albanian Deputy Finance Minister Olta Manjani said.
-Once approved by the two parliaments, deal will end legal limbo-
The deal will allow Albanians who have worked in Italy to escape the fiscal and legal limbo they found themselves in because they couldn’t reach the 20-year minimum limit of Italian law to receive an old age pension. Manjani said that the critical element is the consolidation of periods.
In recent years, there have been several protests by Albanian citizens who have worked in Italy, who have demanded recognition of years of work and social contributions in order to receive a pension. The last protest was held in August last year in front of the Italian embassy. During that protest, the Italian ambassador to Albania, Fabrizio Bucci, came out and met the protesters, promising a quick signing of the agreement.
“All Albanians who have contributed for a period in Albania’s social security scheme but have not completed the minimum year of entitlement to pensions, which is 15 years in the case of Albania, this period will be combined with the period they have contributed in Italy, and in the final pension they will receive, those contributions will also be included,” Manjani said.
Moreover, Manjani emphasized that another important principle is that of export of benefits, where with digitization processes, it will also be easier.
“Italian citizens in Albania or Albanians in Italy will not have to travel to their countries of origin to apply for pension benefits, as they will automatically receive these rights in the country where they are residents,” she said.
-Another sign of close relations-
Foreign Minister Hasani highlighted that the finalization of the agreement is the result of close relations between the two countries.
“This agreement comes at a very important moment in bilateral relations. It once again shows that the two countries are closer than ever, on issues related to the daily lives and activities of our citizens,” Hasani said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Edi Rama singled out his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, “without whom today’s signing of the final document of these vital agreements for Albanians in Italy simply would not have happened.”
During a press conference, Minister Hasani was asked by journalists if the signing of this agreement was a “reward” for the agreement that Albania has signed with Italy for housing third-country migrants, but he said that there is no connection between the two.
Hasani emphasized that the agreement on pensions comes after many years of negotiations and discussions.
-Italy deal added to expansive bilateral agreements list-
The deal encompasses a wide array of social security benefits, including provisions for old age, disability, family pensions, sickness and maternity benefits, as well as unemployment insurance.
In lieu of EU membership, in addition to Italy, Albania has 16 signed bilateral agreements for the recognition of social insurance with several countries such as: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Canada, Kosovo, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Turkey, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Croatia.
Meanwhile, 17 agreements are in the process of negotiation. Specifically with Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States, Poland, Serbia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Moldova, Slovenia, Australia, France, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates.
The deal with Greece, the host of the largest number of Albanian workers abroad over the years, is now a key focus in this area.
