With the aim of deepening bilateral economic relations and highlighting new investment opportunities, the Business Forum & B2B Meetings Greece – Albania took place today, Friday 22 May 2026, at the EBEA.
The event was organized by EVEA, with the support of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Hellas, in the framework of the reception of a business delegation from the Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by Enkelejd Musabelliu, the Albanian Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation.
The forum was preceded by a meeting of the administrations of the two Chamber of Commerce to exchange views on the strategic strengthening of trade ties. From the side of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the President, Giannis Bratisakos and the member and Head of Business Support Consulting, Fanis Matsopoulos participated. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tirana was represented by its president, Nikolin Jaka, and vice-president, Loretan Prespa, while the meeting was also attended by the Albanian Ambassador to Greece, Luela Hajdaraga.
The work of the forum was opened by the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tirana, Yannis Bratakos, who stressed: “The event is not just another business meeting. It is an essential opportunity to strengthen the economic bridge between Greece and Albania, two neighbouring countries that share geographical proximity, human relations and a common interest in shaping a more dynamic, stable and prosperous future for our wider region.”
Then, Mr. Bratakos underlined the growing over time economic importance of the relationship between the two countries, noting that Greek businesses have been operating for many years in Albania, contributing to investment, employment, transfer of know-how and market development. At the same time, he underlined the dynamic development, extroversion and competitiveness of Albanian entrepreneurship, which creates a strong basis for deeper cooperation, more targeted investments and substantial partnerships. “There are many sectors in which Greece and Albania can cooperate even more closely: energy, infrastructure, construction, tourism, agri-food, logistics, technology, innovation, real estate development and services. These are sectors with real potential, not only for strengthening bilateral trade, but also for the development of joint initiatives that can address the overall market of Southeast Europe,” said the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
For his part, Nikolin Jaka pointed out that despite the significant increase in trade exchanges between Greece and Albania, the real potential for economic cooperation between the two countries remains even greater and to a significant extent untapped. At the same time, he underlined the need to move from traditional trade relations to a more integrated model of cooperation based on joint investment, innovation, co-production and long-term regional development.
Luela Hajdaraga underlined the continuous strengthening of economic relations between Greece and Albania, noting the increasing trade activity, the strengthening of investment ties and the significant contribution of the business communities of the two countries. He also made a special reference to the importance of the recent agreements in the fields of tourism, energy and investment, which, he noted, create the conditions for even closer regional cooperation and sustainable development.
Focusing on the role of research and digital transformation, Deputy Minister of State for Development, responsible for Research and Innovation,Stavros Kalafatis, referred to Greece’s strategic choice to invest in innovation and new technologies, noting the significant increase in the number of research and development projects in Greece, and the importance of the new technologies for the development of the country’s economy.
The Minister of State for Development, responsible for Research and Innovation,Stavros Kalafatis, referred to Greece’s strategic choice to invest in innovation and new technologies, noting the significant increase in the number of research and development projects in Greece. At the same time, he underlined that the country is building a modern ecosystem of innovation and artificial intelligence, aiming to transform knowledge and technology into a productive and growth force for the economy and society.
Regarding the prospects of the Albanian economy and its European path, the Albanian Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, Enkelejd Musabelliu, stressed that the Albanian economy is developing dynamically, with rapid adaptation to European standards and steady progress in the country’s accession path towards the European Union. At the same time, he highlighted the significant investment opportunities created in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, tourism and transport, underlining that Albania is currently a particularly attractive investment destination for Greek companies.
This was followed by specialized presentations on the investment environment, free economic zones and technology parks in Albania by Laura Plaku, Executive Director of the Albanian Investment Development Agency (AIDA), Julian Adili, Executive Director of ASDRE – Albanian State Development & Real Estate – Albanian Investment Company (AIC), Hilda Alisandratou, Director of Investment Attraction – Tourism, Real Estate & Creative Industries of Enterprise Greece, Dritan Delija, Manager of TEDA Tirana – the first free economic zone in Albania and Vahdije Kadiu, Director of Projects and Partnerships of DURANA Technology Park – the first technology park in Albania.
The forum concluded with bilateral business meetings.
.
