Albania-Italy pensions to come into effect by spring

2025-01-18 08:31:42 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE ALFA PRESS

The advancement of the pension agreement between Albania and Italy in the Italian parliament has led to an increase in the number of interested people coming to the UIM Albania Office in Tirana to request information.

Anila Cili, the Office's operator, explains that with the start of the new year, many citizens are coming forward to learn more about the benefits of this agreement, which will allow over 500,000 Albanians on both sides of the Adriatic to have their social security contributions recognized in Italy and Albania. The agreement is intended to be approved in the Senate chamber of the Italian Parliament and to enter into force by spring.

"Upon learning the news that the pension agreement between Albania and Italy is advancing in the Italian parliament, many Albanian emigrants have taken advantage of returning to their homeland for the end-of-year holidays to understand more about the stage the process is at. The most frequent questions are related to the moment when this agreement is expected to be approved and fully enter into force. In this sense, we have explained the procedures followed by the Italian parliament, divided between the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, as well as the time required, which is expected to last several months," Cili explains to ATSH.

"If things go at the right pace, it is thought that the parliamentary procedures in Rome will be completed around spring. Then there are the deadlines for publication in the Official Gazette. Meanwhile, in Albania, our parliament has completed the ratification," said Cili.

She emphasized that citizens who want to understand the details of the agreement and how they can benefit from it come to the UIM Albania office.

"They mainly have general information and come to the UIM Albania office to understand in more detail what opportunities the pension agreement between Albania and Italy creates for them. Each case is different and must be seen separately," she added.

"First of all, the office helps by informing interested parties about their rights regarding social security, the minimum conditions that must be met for years of contributions in Albania or Italy, and how to obtain the relevant benefits," emphasizes Cili.

"UIM Albania brings to Tirana the services that citizens receive in Italy, thanks to the cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Labor. In this sense, it can assist with procedures at INPS (Italian Social Security Institute), while it also has a cooperation agreement with ISSH (Social Security Institute in Albania). While the technical details still remain to be finalized, UIM Albania is ready to assist with the formulation and technical submission of requests at INPS in Italy or ISSH in Albania," said Cili.

The UIM Albania office was opened through an agreement signed in Tirana between the Social Security Institute and UIM Albania. This entity brings patronage services that benefit not only Italian citizens, but also Albanians, in Italy.

The office serves Albanians who have decided to return to their homeland after years in emigration, those who still live in the neighboring country, as well as Italian citizens who regularly live in Albania. Through the UIM Albania office in Tirana, these communities can gain access to services offered by both Albanian and Italian institutions.

To identify and concretize cooperation opportunities, the ITAL-UIL delegation also held meetings with the political leaders for the diaspora of the two main political forces: Taulant Balla from the Socialist Party, also Minister of State for Relations with Parliament; and Jozefina Topalli from the Democratic Party.

About ITAL, patronage institutions and presence in Albania (UIM Albania):

Italian legislation regulates the institutions of patronage, which support citizens through social services. ITAL – Institute for the Protection and Assistance of Workers – was created by UIL (Italian Union of Labor) and has been operating for 70 years in Italy and abroad, serving workers, pensioners, young people, the unemployed and immigrants. ITAL operates based on Italian law 152/2001 and ministerial decree 193/10.10.2008.

The activity of the patronages is monitored by the Ministry of Labor in Italy, which is also their exclusive funder. There are about 1600 ITAL offices and contact points, distributed throughout the Italian territory and in the world, at the disposal of those who need assistance and tutelage, in order to benefit from social and labor rights. ITAL was created based on the idea that enjoying a right does not automatically mean being aware of the opportunities you enjoy or knowing how to exercise them. Many Albanians in Italy are assisted every year by ITAL, alongside Italian citizens and foreigners in general. Under the acronym UIM – Union of Italians in the World, ITAL has recently opened a presence in Albania, UIM Albania.