Ilir Kulla, Director of the Global Centre for Crises in San Marino, has said that despite decades of close social and economic ties, relations between Albania and Italy have often failed to reach their full institutional potential.
Speaking in an interview for the programme “All Roads Lead to Rome” on ABC News, Kulla reflected on the recent joint meeting between the Albanian and Italian governments held in Rome.

Kulla described Italy as “a second homeland”, but questioned how much of the political momentum from the bilateral summit would translate into concrete results.

“The issue is how effective this will be beyond the carefully crafted image projected by the two prime ministers,” he said, noting that while the relationship between the two countries has seen “ups and downs” over the past 35 years, cooperation has not always matched the depth of people-to-people ties.

He pointed to long-standing economic links — including early major investments such as Coca-Cola production in Albania — and said that the latest round of memoranda of cooperation could mark a shift. However, he cautioned that memoranda are not equivalent to binding agreements.

‘Something has changed — but we must see how meaningful it is’

Kulla argued that successive Albanian governments, including those dating back to the Berlusconi era, have often underestimated Italy’s strategic importance.

“So far, I have seen memoranda of cooperation — which is something different from real agreements,” he said.
“What I can say is that none of the leaders of Albania’s new military institutions have studied in Italy. The Prime Minister is a friend of Italy, but if you look at the composition of today’s Albanian government, it is not where it should be.”

He noted that Tirana has become Italy’s fifth-busiest airport destination, symbolising a high level of integration between the two societies.
But, he added, the institutional and security ties have not kept pace.

According to Kulla, Italian companies were once among the biggest employers of young Albanians, creating strong economic bonds. Yet within key state institutions — including the armed forces and the police — the presence of Italian-educated or Italian-trained officials is now minimal.

“The issue is not diplomacy,” he said. “We are almost an Italian region today. What remains to be seen is whether there will be real political will — and that will must come from both sides.”

Kulla concluded that the recent meeting in Rome could mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations, but only if the commitments made move beyond symbolism.