EU disburses €90 million in macro-financial assistance to Albania

The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has today disbursed €90 million to Albania under its COVID-19 related macro-financial assistance (MFA) programme. Albania is the eight country to receive a disbursement from the €3 billion emergency MFA package for ten enlargement and neighbourhood partners, which aims to help them limit the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. This disbursement will contribute to mitigating the severe negative socio-economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic in Albania. This virus knows no borders: the EU stands on the side of Albania and its citizens in these difficult times. As for all MFA support programmes, today's transaction follows the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Albania, which lays down the policy conditions to be fulfilled for the disbursement of the second tranche of €90 million. These policy conditions relate in particular to improving governance or enhancing social protection. This programme is a strong and concrete demonstration of the EU's solidarity with Albania and Albanian citizens at a time of unprecedented crisis. (For more information: Marta Wieczorek – Tel.: +32 229 58197; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976)