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In the presentation of 14 new services for children and mothers in need, the EU Ambassador to Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, stated that Albania has been "held in contempt" by the European Union in terms of financial support for social protection, compared to other countries in the region.
Gonzato said that the country has benefited from 100 million euros for projects related to social inclusion, employment and human capital development.
The Ambassador drew the attention of the government and institutions and called for transparency and accountability in the administration of funds, emphasizing that the systems must be fair and transparent.
He emphasized that the figures are significant, but their value is measured by the real impact on the ground and the way the funds are managed.
"EU support for social protection in Albania is among the highest in the Western Balkans. We are investing more than 100 million euros through projects for social inclusion and employment. These are also supported by the EU Growth Plan, through which Albania has benefited from 100 million euros to support human capital development.
But numbers don't change lives; it's the work on the ground that does that. So, the community-level social support that's provided, for example, for a 5-year-old child who gets all the right services, or for mothers who get support to find a job, these aren't just numbers, they're changed lives.
We work with local and national governments to ensure effective systems, but also to put the needs of citizens at the centre. We have helped the Ministry of Health to establish minimum quality standards and, together with UNICEF, we support sustainable financing for services for vulnerable groups, helping municipalities to deliver services according to EU standards.
We have also supported 41 municipalities to draft their local social plans, with the aim of improving responses and reactions to identified needs. Good results have been achieved and it is important that Albania continues at this pace towards EU membership, because reforms bring changes and sometimes certain individuals can be affected by them. In the meantime, we need to ensure that they move forward at the same pace as the rest of society.
These growing needs show that there is political will for change, but the appropriate funding and resources must also be secured. Let me present some recommendations.
Firstly, we need to continue working on the basis of existing achievements, which means capitalizing on investments made so far and continuing EU investments, ensuring sustainability over time.
Secondly, at the central level, it is essential to further strengthen municipalities in order to provide more social services.
This requires close cooperation between central and local governments; in this regard, Territorial Reform can play an important role. At the local level, closer cooperation with civil society organizations is needed.
"Transparency and accountability must be at the heart of policies, as as Albania approaches the EU, it is imperative to have fair and transparent systems. Also, close coordination between Albanian and EU legislation is required," Gonzato said.
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