US tells Albania investors need rules they can trust

The United States says Albania needs clear rules and fair competition if it wants to attract more foreign investment.

US chargé d’affaires Nancy VanHorn told an American Chamber of Commerce event in Tirana that Albania was “open for business”, but had to protect its national interests and strategic sectors.

She said American companies were already working in energy, construction and technology, with others looking at Albania.

But VanHorn said investors needed confidence that the rules were clear and applied evenly.

She said the new foreign investment screening system was only a first step, and that implementation would decide whether it worked.

The US would continue to support Albania through the process, she said.