Albania to get grant under EC agreement

Albania has signed off on a 64.23 million euros (88 million U.S. dollars) grant from the European Commission, Minister of European Integration Klajda Gjosha has announced. The agreement, signed Tuesday under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2013 program, will provide funding for 12 projects connected to key reforms in the country. Gjosha said Albania and other beneficiary countries in the region were working with Commission to ensure IPA funding was applied effectively. Head of the European delegation to Albania Ettore Sequi said the EU was "committed to supporting Albania for European integration." "Our expectations from Albania are also high. We expect Albania to strengthen the rule of law, uproot corruption and fight organized crime, and respect human rights," Sequi said.