Europe

Dialogue with Albania: State Secretary Asmussen meets with Ilir Meta, the Chairman of the Albanian Parliament

On 30 November 2015, State Secretary Asmussen and Ilir Meta, the Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, met at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The reform agenda of the coalition government headed by Edi Rama was at the heart of their talks.

Parliamentary Chairman Meta highlighted the European Commission's current progress report with its positive assessment of the reforms aimed at implementing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. As far as employment policies are concerned, Meta emphasised the importance of Albania's reforms of its vocational education system. He explained that an efficient vocational education system was indispensable for efforts to provide young people with better prospects on the Albanian labour market.

State Secretary Asmussen praised the reforms being carried out by the Albanian Government and stressed that, within the German Government, he would continue to advocate for supporting Albania with its reforms of vocational education

Both partners agreed that it is essential to actively continue the German-Albanian dialogue on vocational education.